《旋量与时空(第1卷)》isthefirsttopresentacomprehensivedevelopmentofspace-timegeometryusingthe2-spinorformalism.Therearealsoseveralothernewfeaturesinourpresentation.Oneoftheseisthesystematicandconsistentuseoftheabstractindexapproachtotensorandspinorcalculus.Wehopethatthepuristdifferentialgeometerwhocasuallyleafsthroughthebookwillnotautomaticallybeputoffbytheappearanceofnumerousindices.Exceptfortheoccasionalbold-faceuprightones，ourindicesdifferfromthemoreusualonesinbeingabstractmarkerswithoutreferencetoanybasisorcoordinatesystem.Ouruseofabstractindicesleadstoanumberofsimplificationsoverconventionaltreatments.