But what really is “random.” Isn’t the “seed number” of radioactive decay planted when the radioactive item is created or manufactured. Similarly, in using thermal noise, don’t you start with a manufactured wire? Wouldn’t the seed start with how the wire was manufactured?
This may really be a GD, but what is “random?” Does randomness exist in the universe?
Here are some random numbers you can use: 42, 5789, 3.28, 0, 100. If you need more, let me know.
Quoth Drum God:
It’s actually impossible to answer that question: It depends on which interpretation you take of quantum mechanics, the “cards dealt where they cannot be seen” favored by Einstein or the “God playing dice with the world” of almost everyone else. What we can say, however, is that no matter how closely we scrutenize our process for manufacturing radioactive elements, we absolutely cannot determine when an atom will decay until it actually does so. This is close enough to true randomness for all practical purposes.