COURSE DESCRIPTION

Foundations of Inquiry is one of three required Freshman courses that provide incoming undergraduate students with basic skills necessary to succeed in the General Education Program, their chosen discipline, their future jobs, and their as a thoughtful and responsible citizen..  Language and Composition teaches writing skills.  Language and Communication teaches speaking skills.  Foundations of Inquiry (FOI) teaches the thinking skills necessary to read, write, listen, and speak intelligently and successfully:  

1. Critical evaluation of someone else's or your own argument:
a.  Identifying the central issue (problem or question);
b.  Evaluating the extent to which the reasons and evidence support the conclusion (solution, answer) to the issue.
2. Constructing a better argument:
a.  Experimenting with new arguments and conclusions.
b.  Constructing the best possible conclusion from the best possible reasons and evidence.

In order to critically identify problems, evaluate arguments, experiment with new arguments and construct better arguments, you will need to learn the skills not only of thinking critically and logically about a particular issue, but also of finding and evaluating  knowledge that has already been discovered and reported and that will support your arguments.   FOI teaches students techniques of doing research means of the best possible sources of knowledge:

1. professors who are specialists in their fields;
2. the Illinois and global library system;
3. the Internet and the World Wide Web

General critical thinking skills are essential for you to read texts critically, write critically, and speak persuasively in the discipline you will choose.   FOI gives experience in applying critical thinking skills to the four major disciplines in the university:

1. the humanities;
2. the social sciences;
3. the natural sciences;
4. the fine arts.

The same general techniques of critical thinking, problem identification, problem solving through experimentation, and argumentation are used in all disciplines.   Critical thinking teaches students not only to think critically about material in their own disciplines but also to think critically about material in other disciplines and apply it to their own disciplines.

Some FOI sections focus on one or more topics chosen by the professor.   This topic is generally related to his or her research, expertise, or areas of interest.  Emphasis on a single topic enables a class to achieve greater depth of critical analysis than if it were to jump from topic to topic.

In this section of FOI, we will practice thinking critically, identifying problems, experimenting with new arguments, and making strong arguments about how to solve problems while considering the issues of consumption, individual choice, and social responsibility: 

1. the power of consuming ( houses, guns, service, housecleaning, etc.) to increase economic growth and to construct one's identity.
2. the pleasure of consuming..
3. the power of the media over our desires to consume.
4. the power to consume whatever we want or have the money to buy;
5.  the harm consumption may cause ourselves or others;
6. the responsibilities the individual, business, or government may have towards those who are indirectly harmed by our acts of buying and consuming or towards those who do not have the means of consuming what they need for a minimal standard of living

The study of critical thinking, problem identification, and argumentation, and the application of these skills to issues raised by consumer choices,  will serve as a model for the application of critical thinking and argumentation skills in other courses and in three areas of life for which a university education prepares students:

1. to lead a culturally-enriched life;
2. to contribute intelligently and responsibly to society;
3. to succeed in your chosen profession.