Epistemic Freedom and Knowledge Access

Sor Juana's relentless pursuit of learning across theology, philosophy, mathematics, and science—despite Church restrictions—demonstrates epistemic freedom as a foundational libertarian right. She recognized that controlling what people can know is the deepest form of tyranny, as it prevents them from understanding their own interests and protecting their property and autonomy. Libertarian justice requires that knowledge remain accessible and that no authority monopolizes truth. Sor Juana's tradition reveals how epistemic freedom enables all other freedoms: without access to information about law, economics, and rights, people cannot defend their property or exercise genuine choice. Applied practically, this concept demands transparency in institutions, opposition to information monopolies, and recognition that education and intellectual resources are preconditions for meaningful liberty, not luxuries controlled by elites.