Humans cannot consciously generate random numbers sequences: Polemic study.

It is widely believed, that randomness exists in Nature. In fact such an assumption underlies many scientific theories and is embedded in the foundations of quantum mechanics. Assuming that this hypothesis is valid one can use natural phenomena, like radioactive decay, to generate random numbers. Today, computers are capable of generating the so-called pseudorandom numbers. Such series of numbers are only seemingly random (bias in the randomness quality can be observed). Question whether people can produce random numbers, has been investigated by many scientists in the recent years. The paper "Humans can consciously generate random numbers sequences..." published recently in Medical Hypotheses made claims that were in many ways contrary to state of art; it also stated far-reaching hypotheses. So, we decided to repeat the experiments reported, with special care being taken of proper laboratory procedures. Here, we present the results and discuss possible implications in computer and other sciences.

[1]  M. Jahanshahi,et al.  The left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and random generation of responses: studies with transcranial magnetic stimulation , 1998, Neuropsychologia.

[2]  Kamil Kulesza Can Alice and Bob be random: a study on human playing zero knowledge protocols , 2007, ArXiv.

[3]  M C Ridding,et al.  The effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on suppression of habitual counting during random number generation. , 1998, Brain : a journal of neurology.

[4]  A. M. Turing,et al.  Computing Machinery and Intelligence , 1950, The Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence.

[5]  E. D. Haan,et al.  Random generation deficit in alcoholic Korsakoff patients , 1995, Neuropsychologia.

[6]  C. Daniels,et al.  Rate dependency of the human cortical network subserving executive functions during generation of random number series – a functional magnetic resonance imaging study , 2003, Neuroscience Letters.

[7]  Navindra Persaud Humans can consciously generate random number sequences: a possible test for artificial intelligence. , 2005, Medical hypotheses.

[8]  R. G Brown,et al.  Executive processes in Parkinsons disease—random number generation and response suppression , 1998, Neuropsychologia.

[9]  Mauro Pesenti,et al.  Age-Related Differences in Random Generation , 1998, Brain and Cognition.

[10]  A. M. Turing,et al.  Computing Machinery and Intelligence , 1950, The Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence.

[11]  T. Münte,et al.  Brain potentials and self-paced random number generation in humans , 2004, Neuroscience Letters.

[12]  A. Baddeley Is working memory still working? , 2001, The American psychologist.

[13]  A. Baddeley Exploring the Central Executive , 1996 .

[14]  P. Brugger,et al.  Random number generation in dementia of the Alzheimer type: A test of frontal executive functions , 1996, Neuropsychologia.

[15]  A D Baddeley,et al.  The Capacity for Generating Information by Randomization , 1966, The Quarterly journal of experimental psychology.

[16]  A. Rodríguez-Fornells,et al.  Brain potentials index executive functions during random number generation , 2004, Neuroscience Research.