Kenny Anderson

Author of Life Engineering

Kenny Anderson is a practicing Nuclear Engineer with almost 20 years of experience in a wide variety of analysis roles in the nuclear industry. With respect to the more expansive discipline of Life Engineering, the author doesn’t profess to know the subject matter in the sense that “it takes one to know one.” Instead, he aspires to “I know it when I see it.”

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Work

"Anderson's idea to develop a self-help book based on more engineering and mathematical principles than New Age ones is novel and interesting...The substance of the book is valuable and intriguing" - The BookLife PrizeThis provocative book introduces a brand-new synthesis of philosophy and self-help through the surprising perspective of engineering. Technology is not just a jumble of wires and metal but ideas whose origins can go back before recorded history. Engineering is simply the craft dedicated to applying existing technology to innovating practical and desired products. Before the rise of the wannabe self-help guru, the technology of preventing failure and maximizing the performance of the good life was the domain of the philosopher or religious leader. The engineering craft has developed useful tools and techniques for combining existing technology in new forms over the millennia. As life engineers, we can use these tools and existing technology to cultivate our individual designs. Consequently, we can avoid failure and more confidently live our personal good lives. Perhaps you already live a good life but don't even recognize it?This new package of very old ideas offers three practical lessons. Having a simple yet complete framework allows us to better identify how our values shape our actions and slowly but surely improve both in the process. By understanding why your grandma's simple but not easy advice is so beneficial, we can be motivated to make sacrifices now for compounded rewards in the future. And by recognizing that when it comes to our lives, perfection is nonsensical. The consequence of using finite time, mass, and energy as ingredients is that the best recipe we can develop is a balance of trade-offs right for our unique situation.Through the benchmarking of existing designs, it is observed that humanity has repeatedly innovated the "living virtuously" strategy in the world's mythological, religious, spiritual, and philosophical systems. A working hypothesis, generally backed by the latest scientific research from positive psychology, is that virtue is essential in practical and desired designs. A persuasive case is made accessible through the introduction of non-mathematical engineering tools and techniques. An innovative and optimistic guide to how engineering can help you iteratively learn your first-of-a-kind design, Life Engineering celebrates your immense power to confidently live your good life.

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About

Kenny attempts to live according to his philosophy and slowly trying to do it better with time. The author is married, a father, lucky to have family and life-long friends, a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, loves getting out in nature (especially to surf!), and pursues a variety of intellectual pursuits and hobbies.

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