The Right to Refuse Instrumentalization

Throughout her life, Sor Juana fought against being reduced to what others wanted from her—a dutiful nun, a court entertainer, a pious woman. She insisted on her right to pursue knowledge for its own sake, not instrumentally. This principle becomes foundational for animal ethics: the right not to be instrumentalized, not to exist merely as means to human ends. Animals are systematically treated as instruments—production units, research tools, entertainment, resources. Sor Juana's resistance to instrumentalization suggests that moral standing includes the right to exist for oneself, to pursue one's own good, even if this provides no benefit to humans. A wild animal's existence need not be justified by ecosystem services it provides. A companion animal need not perform emotional labor to deserve care. This represents a radical reframing: instead of asking 'What use is this animal?' we ask 'What does this animal need to flourish on its own terms?' Sor Juana's defense of her intrinsic worth—not her utility—becomes a model for recognizing animals beyond their function.