In connection with the fine tuning problem, the
argument of the typist monkey is often used as an illustration that even very
unlikely events can occur spontaneously. Depending on the author of the quote, the
text supposedly written by the monkey can be the complete works of Shakespeare,
Don Quixote, or even a shorter and less specific work. For instance, John Leslie, in his book Universes (Chapter
One), writes:
Our universe can
indeed look as if designed. In reality, though, it may be merely the sort of thing to be
expected sooner or later. Given sufficient many years with a typewriter, even a
monkey would produce a sonnet.
