Intellectual Property as Moral Right

Sor Juana's defense of her own writings and intellectual autonomy—despite institutional pressure to renounce study—demonstrates that intellectual property emerges from the creator's labor and identity, not state permission. In libertarian justice, this concept reframes copyright and patent as natural rights rather than monopolistic grants. Sor Juana's insistence on her right to think, write, and publish without ecclesiastical censorship anticipates modern arguments that creators possess inherent claims to their work. This principle supports individual freedom against both government control and institutional suppression, affirming that intellectual output is an extension of personal liberty and self-ownership.