Resident To Publish Book On Improving ‘Cognitive Fitness’

By Eliza Hallabeck

Sandy Hook resident and author Rudy Magnan is set to release his third book this fall, and the book, he explained this week, will describe the importance of developing “cognitive fitness.”

“We often put great importance in developing physical fitness as a deliberate strategy to keep our bodies energized and healthy,” Dr Magnan wrote, “but in this fast changing world there is increased attention to developing relevant cognitive skills in business in order to develop creative solutions and innovations as these can be added values to the services and products we offer.”

Dr Magnan has previously published two books, Reinventing American Education and Mindsight: A Conceptual System to Implement Innovation in Thinking and Communication.

“I’m really excited about this next book for a lot of reasons,” said Dr Magnan.

Dr Magnan’s next book will be Discover Design Pattern Thinking: Applying New Design Techniques To Improve Our Mental Operacy.

With new electronic devices being produced, Dr Magnan explained, today’s college students represent a paradigm shift “in how they view and use information. I believe that this transformation is part of the Information Revolution that Peter Drucker, the guru of American management, prophesized would happen. It would change the way we view current information and knowledge by using new concepts and ideas in order to create an added value to what we produce and offer.”

Dr Magnan said his new book delves into applying pattern recognition, a model that has been used in businesses, and using existing information to open a perception to a new point of view.

When applied to education, cognitive fitness, Dr Magnan wrote, “involves learning creative/critical thinking which they can apply in school but also outside of school to make good decisions and to find solutions to the challenges/problems they will face. It’s analogous to developing common sense, something that seems to be lost because we have become dependent on book learning to do this for us.”

Dr Magnan previously identified cognitive fitness in Mindsight: A Conceptual System to Implement Innovation in Thinking and Communication, but further delves into the concept in his new book.

In the upcoming release Dr Magnan challenges conventional “book learning” and memorization techniques, which he describes as needing lower cognitive functions.

“Successful change will only come when we realize that we are operating in a new Information Reformation, which is a technological one where we need to rethink existing operating models and create new ones that add value to what we offer and produce,” wrote Dr Magnan.

He went on to argue that current education does not need more money, but it does need a new curriculum.

“A concept such as ‘cognitive fitness’ may be a start,” said Dr Magnan.

Dr Magnan said his book will also talk about the “intelligent design system” that nature relies on to produce remarkable products.

“I think we are due for another rediscovery,” said Dr Magnan, likening his concept of cognitive fitness and the ability to tap into mental power for creativity to the Italian Renaissance.

Dr Magnan suggested parents read books like his upcoming publication to have an understanding of how to help their children develop cognitive fitness.

Everyone, he said, wants to look healthy, and questioned what the human potential could be if physical fitness was balanced with cognitive fitness.

“I think it is coming,” said Dr Magnan.

Dr Magnan’s past two books are available for purchase at Everything Newtown on Church Hill Road, and at Amazon.com. Discover Design Pattern Thinking, which does not yet have its publication date set, will also be available at the two locations.