The Infinite Monkey Theorem (IMT) is a familiar trope (involving monkeys and typewriters), meant to explore the limits of randomly generated composition. In this essay, I draw a brief genealogy of the trope in philosophy and in fiction, discuss its relevance to several major conversations on aesthetics, science, and creationism in the twentieth century, and finally examine an actual text written by a troupe of Sulawesi macaques.
This content is only available as a PDF.
© 2017 by Duke University Press
2017
Issue Section:
Articles
You do not currently have access to this content.