GENERAL INTRODUCTION

The Mechanical Universe is a project that encompasses fifty-two half-hour television programs, two textbooks in four volumes (including this one), teacher's manuals, specially edited videotapes for high school use, and much more. It seems safe to say that nothing quite like it has been attempted in physics (or any other subject) before. A few words about how all this came to be seem to be in order.

Caltech's dedication to the teaching of physics began fifty years ago with a popular introductory textbook written by Robert Millikan, Earnest Watson, and Duane Roller. Millikan, whose exploits are celebrated in Chapter 8 of this book, was Caltech's founder, president, first Nobel prizewinner, and all-around patron saint. Earnest Watson was Dean of the Faculty, and both he and Duane Roller were distinguished teachers.

Twenty years ago, the introductory physics courses at Caltech were taught by Richard Feynman, who is not only a scientist of historic proportions, but also a dramatic and highly entertaining lecturer. Feynman's words were lovingly recorded, transcribed, and published in a series of three volumes that have become genuine and indispensable classics of the science literature.

The teaching of physics at Caltech, like the teaching of science courses everywhere, is constantly undergoing transition. Caltech's latest effort to infuse new life in freshman physics was instituted by Professor David Goodstein and eventually led to the creation of The Mechanical Universe.