 In October 1913 , Innis started classes at McMaster University ( then in Toronto ) . McMaster was a natural choice for him because it was a Baptist university and many students who attended Woodstock College went there . McMaster 's liberal arts professors encouraged critical thinking and debate . Innis was especially influenced by James Ten <unk> , the university 's one @-@ man philosophy department . Ten <unk> posed an essay question that Innis pondered for the rest of his life : " Why do we attend to the things to which we attend ? " 
