Three things need to be said to explain why physics ``should'' constitute a central part of every person's common knowledge. The first is what physics is, and what it can do for us, that it should be so important. The second concerns a very special aspect of how physics is ordered, that even makes it possible to consider incorporating such a far-reaching body of knowledge within an individual's working day-to-day resource. The third, which will be very important in showing which topics need to be addressed, is a careful appreciation of why not physics, so far. The point to be explained and substantiated is that in important ways, we are not a culture that incorporates physics as part of our basic intellectual resource. The reason to appreciate this early is that it affects how we will invest valuable time and effort, and indeed why this book should exist or be read at all.
The last point needs to be made carefully, even by way of introduction. A lot has been written about physics, technically, as text, in the popular press, and as news. Clearly, at some level we recognize that we depend on physics and that we should understand it. In fact, in the text and popular press alone, probably more has already been written than any person could read. The technical literature is even worse, much larger and more specialized, than that. Therefore, more pages added to the current volume could just bury the topic more deeply, and the goal is to keep that from happening. Also, as important as what is written on any given page is how it is read. Therefore, the analysis of ``why not physics, so far'' is intended to explain what we should expect from day-to-day life, that could be different than it is, and what kind of exchange here can bring that about.