Intellectual Property as Self-Sovereignty

Sor Juana's vast literary and scientific output—from theology to poetry to philosophy—was created in an era when women's intellectual work was often claimed by institutions or male authorities. She understood that ownership of one's ideas is foundational to freedom and identity. In Libertarian justice, intellectual property protects the laborer's right to benefit from their own mind. Sor Juana's fierce defense of her right to study, write, and publish without censorship models how intellectual autonomy underpins all other freedoms. When we recognize ideas as property, we affirm that each person owns their cognitive labor. This prevents exploitation and coercion—institutions or powers cannot commandeer someone's thoughts without consent. For Sor Juana, this was existential; for libertarian theory, it's structural.