Stephen wrote:
> Jellby <me### [at] privacynet> wrote:
>> I believe it was just "a room full of chimps" or something similar.

Whether it's a room full of chimps typing long enough, or an infinite 
number of chimps is irrelevant.  The important part is infinity, either 
of time or of chimps.



Well, they DO take it seriously, as a maxim of probability.

> wrong. If things are truly random there is no guarantee that you ever will
> get what you want.

That's why the infinite part is important - either there are an infinite 
number of chimps, or an infinite timeframe, but either way that infinity 
throws normal probability out the window.

No matter how probable something is, as long as it is possible, throwing 
in an infinity makes it a certainty.  That is, as long as P>0, then an 
infinite number of chances will result in P=1.

...Chambers

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Ben Chambers <ben### [at] pacificwebguycom> wrote:
> Stephen wrote:
> > Jellby <me### [at] privacynet> wrote:
> >> I believe it was just "a room full of chimps" or something similar.
>
> Whether it's a room full of chimps typing long enough, or an infinite
> number of chimps is irrelevant.  The important part is infinity, either
> of time or of chimps.
>

>
> Well, they DO take it seriously, as a maxim of probability.
>
> > wrong. If things are truly random there is no guarantee that you ever will
> > get what you want.
>
> That's why the infinite part is important - either there are an infinite
> number of chimps, or an infinite timeframe, but either way that infinity
> throws normal probability out the window.
>
> No matter how probable something is, as long as it is possible, throwing
> in an infinity makes it a certainty.  That is, as long as P>0, then an
> infinite number of chances will result in P=1.
>
> ...Chambers

Yes Infinity is important here. When you talk about infinity common sense
flies out the window :-)
Excuse me while I move my belongings to the next even numbered room, another
bus has arrived at Hilbert's Grand Hotel.


Stephen

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Ben Chambers wrote:
> No matter how probable something is, as long as it is possible, throwing 
> in an infinity makes it a certainty.  That is, as long as P>0, then an 
> infinite number of chances will result in P=1.

Not true if you have different kinds of infinitites. You can't put 
Aleph-one people in a hotel with Aleph-zero rooms, even if you move 
everyone to an even numbered room. :-)

-- 
   Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
     You know it's time to trim your beard when your
     wife stops calling you Husband and starts calling
     you Husbollah.

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