hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté


There has been thoughts regarding randomness in the universe...If left to random selection ( so they say) any possible outcome could happen.

One example often given is to take a million monkeys with a million type-writers and let them bang on it for a million years, and there's the possibility that via randomness, they will produce a great work - say Moby Dick or The Grapes of Wrath. It suggests given enough time and enough 'tries at it' the universe could produce living beings and even assemble them in a way that they could be aware of themselves.
I always found it curious that this was generally accepted, yet not proven.

So, today as I read a science article in January's Astronomy Magazine, Bob Berman put this notion into perspective for me, so I thought I would pass on the idea for your consideration

This monkey business
Take a million monkeys with a million type-writers and let them bang on it for a million years. Let's see the probability of them even producing the 1st sentence found in Moby Dick i.e. Call me Ishmael. There are 16 characters here ( counting the spaces and the period). Let's take a look at the type-writer that has 58 keys. How many possible keys can the band of monkeys hit to get this sentence ? Well, it is 58 keys to the 16th power ( 58^16th) possible key strokes. Remember we're looking for these 16 characters in Call me Ishmael out of the 58 that are available on the key board. That number = 16.4 trillion quad trillion attempts.
But we have a huge work force ( a million moneys) working 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, banging on these keys.

What is the chance, say a 50-50 probability that just one monkey will get this first sentence correctly typed. Well it would take 2,100 trillion years for this to occur. To just get 16 characters in order. What of the whole book ? Moby Dick has 212,758 words in it.

You have to ask , does this pass the common sense test on what seems reasonable for randomess and a meaningful outcome ? For me it does not. Pure randomness is very attractive but when it comes to purposeful outcomes different methods of thinking and analysis are needed. But of what ? Of awareness itself.

The notion that a bunch of atoms over long periods of time will generate the opportunity to produce consciousness and awareness let alone moving beings is staggering. For me and my thinking it is beyond the notion of randomness.

The ~position~ for me is this universe is innately intelligent and creative... it loves to create, therefore it is purposeful. I am of the opinion that only one notion is needed for the whole universe to collect itself around to produce environments and conditions for this notion to be fulfilled. What is that one notion ?

Some say expansion ( just to expand, evolve) , others say the ability (for the universe) to experience itself. Others say it is just play, and the ablity for the universe to exert its freedom ( svatantrya).

Within this phenomenon of experience-expansion the human plays its part as the universe is efficient and nothing is created that does not play a role in this notion it wishes to unfold.



iti śivaṁ