What interesting "Interests" do you have?

I am looking for some interesting hobbies and past times that people have.

Might want to pick up a hobby as soon as lockdown lifts.

Thanks

Learn an instrument?

Original post by Pythian

I am looking for some interesting hobbies and past times that people have.

Might want to pick up a hobby as soon as lockdown lifts.

Thanks

Read about Chinese history?

Reply 3

urlocalinmate

19

Carving my "face" off.

Reply 4

Pythian

OP

21

Original post by Fondant4075

Read about Chinese history?

Good one. I am reading a bit on medieval English history.

Reply 5

5hyl33n

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Seriously though, I quite liked travelling before COVID. Now, it's making photo albums of past holidays with my family.

Reply 6

Mesopotamian…

21

I like to start (but often not complete :frown:

) free online history courses on Coursera and FutureLearn.

Reply 7

vapordave

Debate & Current Affairs Helper

20

Linux (Start with Ubuntu, learn how the command line works, then try installing Arch Linux and get customising, r/UnixPorn is great for inspiration), Linguistics (I started with conlanging, The Art of Language Invention by David Peterson is a great start), Machine Learning (haven't really done anything with this so can't recommend anything)

Reply 8

Pythian

OP

21

Original post by Mesopotamian.

I like to start (but often not complete :frown:

) free online history courses on Coursera and FutureLearn.

Oh wow. Didn't know these sites existed.
Thanks for that. :smile:

Reply 9

Mesopotamian…

21

Original post by Pythian

Oh wow. Didn't know these sites existed.
Thanks for that. :smile:

I definitely recommend them, they’ve got short courses on a diverse range of subjects :yes:

Reply 10

Pythian

OP

21

Original post by Vapordave

Linux (Start with Ubuntu, learn how the command line works, then try installing Arch Linux and get customising, r/UnixPorn is great for inspiration), Linguistics (I started with conlanging, The Art of Language Invention by David Peterson is a great start), Machine Learning (haven't really done anything with this so can't recommend anything)

Could you combine both interests with AI?

The expression "machine learning" reminds me of the "deep learning" computer system can perform by look for patterns that humans may well miss or too slow to notice.

I study law and I wrote a huge essay on the legal implications of decisions made by AI systems. In certain public settings (e.g. crime prevention), a person is generally entitled to an explanation and for someone to be held to account for that decision. But, in what sense is AI accountable or even explainable. Anyway, I'm going into a tangent on an interesting subject,. :smile:

Reply 11

JAckieee.chan

21

Taekwondo and Decipherment of old scripts.

Reply 12

vapordave

Debate & Current Affairs Helper

20

Original post by Pythian

Could you combine both interests with AI?

The expression "machine learning" reminds me of the "deep learning" computer system can perform by look for patterns that humans may well miss or too slow to notice.

I study law and I wrote a huge essay on the legal implications of decisions made by AI systems. In certain public settings (e.g. crime prevention), a person is generally entitled to an explanation and for someone to be held to account for that decision. But, in what sense is AI accountable or even explainable. Anyway, I'm going into a tangent on an interesting subject,. :smile:

All three actually fit quite nicely into Natural Language Processing.

Deep learning is a subset of machine learning, and as you said it simulates the human brain to find patterns or otherwise process large amounts of data without human error.

That's a really interesting convergence of AI and Law :smile:

I suppose we'll come across that more and more as AI systems take over more roles. What conclusion did you reach?

Reply 13

Reality Check

22

Illegally distilling spirits.

Reply 14

black tea

19

Original post by Reality Check

Illegally distilling spirits.

Moonshine?

Reply 15

Reality Check

22

Original post by black tea

Moonshine?

Essentially. Without the methanol.

Reply 16

Pythian

OP

21

Original post by Vapordave

All three actually fit quite nicely into Natural Language Processing.

Deep learning is a subset of machine learning, and as you said it simulates the human brain to find patterns or otherwise process large amounts of data without human error.

That's a really interesting convergence of AI and Law :smile:

I suppose we'll come across that more and more as AI systems take over more roles. What conclusion did you reach?

Well, there are calls to have some regulatory system of AI such that algorithms designers would have to factor in variables (so as not to produce unfair or ridiculous results that a computer would "think" was fine) or have their coding tested or analysed by professionals, for example.

Last year, there was a case at the Court of Appeal: R (on the application of Bridges) v Chief Constable of South Wales. The South Wales police used facial recognition AI to scan passers-by against their watch lists and the AI would produce a similarity score against the most similar person. The court held that this violated the right to privacy. But there are so many other things. People argue that AI systems can't really be "explained" to a normal person which means it doesn't lend itself to being appealed easily. How are you supposed to challenge the internal "workings" of the system. There are calls to make AI designers make the system produce an intelligible explanation but how likely is that?

Personally speaking, I think that tech is awful when it comes to state power. I hate the culture of mass monitoring of data of consumers by websites and tech companies which is so disturbing (think Cambridge Analytica or predicting consumer behaviour). But, the state has almost no respect for boundaries and I think AI in state hands is very disturbing. Having AI - like the South Wales police did - means that there's a powerful but subtle shift in the relationship between state-citizen. You're now under a permanent inherent suspicion as opposed to the presumption of liberty. It's part of the "predictive policing" mentality. I know that scanning faces isn't fascism, but the state is always looking to barge right into peoples' lives come what may. There is a very famous 17th century English law case called Entick v Carrington. In that case, the Secretary of State smashed Mr Entick's door and barged into his house searching for incriminating evidence of some conspiracy. Entick sued the SoS and won. The court maintained that the SoS needed a warrant and simply the 'good of the community' wasn't good enough. Thesedays, the government doesn't really need a warrant with online communication. GCHQ taps into cables leaving and entering the state. Normally, you would need a warrant to open & read the "internal communication" between two citizens with the borders of the state (with the proper reason). But if you post to social media or contact a friend via twitter, for example, then that is no longer private communication as it goes across a border as their servers are based in foreign jurisdictions. It's "external communication" which GCHQ can intercept by having fibre optic cables at the border under the sea reflecting the transmission to the destination as well as to GCHQ. It's able to meaningfully "read" most of citizen emails. The question is whether anyone is reading these intercepts - but if you have AI, you don't need to.

By the way, that was leaked to the public by Edward Snowden some years back. GCHQ probably already have huge AI system in place.

See these two recent cases:
- thematic warrants - https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252494577/Government-use-of-general-warrants-to-authorise-computer-and-phone-hacking-is-unlawful
- bulk interception should have been authorised by an independent body and not the SoS - https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/may/25/gchqs-mass-data-sharing-violated-right-to-privacy-court-rules

Reply 17

Surnia

20

Try a Citizen Science project, where the public help scientific research. There's all kinds of real life and online activities, from recording wildlife to digitising documents to logging stars from maps.