Truth and knowledge in the community of inquiry.

This article critically examines the claim within the Philosophy for Children (P4C) movement that participation in a Community of Inquiry (CoI) presupposes a pragmatist epistemology—a view that knowledge is fallible, socially warranted, and linked to practical action. The authors argue that neither participation in nor justification of a CoI requires adherence to pragmatist epistemological commitments, such as fallibilism or pragmatist theories of truth, and that intellectual humility—the disposition central to CoI—is compatible with diverse epistemological views. They further contend that truth, rather than merely warranted judgment, is a fundamental aim of inquiry within a CoI, and that the pedagogy of CoI can be justified and practiced independently of any specific philosophical theory of truth or knowledge. This perspective opens the CoI pedagogy to broader philosophical traditions beyond pragmatism, emphasizing dialogue and collaborative inquiry without epistemological indoctrination.