Intellectual Property as Personal Freedom

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz fought fiercely for her right to think, write, and publish despite institutional pressure to silence her intellectual voice. In the context of libertarian justice, intellectual property becomes a fundamental expression of freedom—the ability to own the fruits of one's mental labor. Sor Juana's defiant authorship demonstrates that property rights extend beyond material goods to encompass ideas, knowledge, and creative expression. When individuals cannot control their intellectual output, they lose agency over their identity and thought. This concept challenges us to recognize that libertarian justice must protect the thinker's right to ownership of ideas, ensuring that knowledge-work receives the same property protections as physical labor, enabling authentic intellectual autonomy.