Electromagnetism is treated in a highly unconventional way, though the endpoint is Maxwell's equations in their usual integral form. The seemingly simple question of how potential energy can be extended to the relativistic context gives rise to the idea of potential momentum. The potential energy and potential momentum together form a four-vector which is closely related to the scalar and vector potential of electromagnetism. The Aharonov-Bohm effect is easily explained using the idea of potential momentum in one dimension, while extension to three dimensions results in an extension of Snell's law valid for matter waves, from which the Lorentz force law is derived. The generation of electromagetic fields comes from Coulomb's law plus relativity, with the scalar and vector potential being used to produce a much more straightforward treatment than is possible with electric and magnetic fields.
Electromagnetic radiation is a lot simpler in terms of the potential fields as well.
Resistors, capacitors, and inductors are treated for their practical value, but also because their consideration leads to an understanding of energy in electromagnetic fields. At this point the book shifts to a more qualitative treatment of atoms, atomic nuclei, the standard model of elementary particles, and techniques for observing the very small. Ideas from optics, waves, and relativity reappear here. The final section of the course deals with heat and statistical mechanics. Only at this point do non-conservative forces appear in the context of classical mechanics.