Intellectual Responsibility for Planetary Care

Sor Juana's fierce defense of women's intellectual pursuits demonstrates that knowledge-seeking is not a luxury but a moral imperative. In climate justice, this principle demands that intellectuals—scientists, philosophers, policymakers—take responsibility for how their work shapes environmental outcomes. Sor Juana refused to accept limitations on her learning; she insisted knowledge itself was a form of justice. Applied to climate action, this means scholars and thinkers must actively engage in public discourse about planetary responsibility rather than remaining sequestered in abstraction. The intellectual life gains purpose when it addresses systemic injustice, including the ecological injustice that devastates marginalized communities first. Climate literacy becomes a social obligation, not an elite pursuit.