Intellectual Property as Self-Ownership

Sor Juana's defense of her own intellectual pursuits against institutional pressure reveals how property rights in ideas stem from the fundamental right to self-ownership. She argued that her mind belonged to her alone, not to the Church or patriarchal authority. This concept extends libertarian justice by establishing that intellectual property—one's thoughts, writings, and discoveries—represents the most intimate form of property because it emerges directly from one's consciousness and labor. When someone's ideas are stolen, suppressed, or claimed by others, their very selfhood is violated. Sor Juana's life demonstrates that defending intellectual property rights is inseparable from defending personal freedom and identity. In the context of libertarian justice, recognizing intellectual property as self-ownership protects individuals from exploitation and validates their right to benefit from their own mental labor.