Justice as Recognition of Worth

Sor Juana's understanding of justice extended beyond narrow legal frameworks to encompass human dignity and the recognition of worth by society. True justice meant having one's intellectual and moral status acknowledged. Applied to animals, this concept moves beyond minimalist animal welfare (merely avoiding active torture) toward substantive recognition of animal worth. Justice demands that we acknowledge animals not as property or resources, but as beings with their own intrinsic value and right to exist according to their nature. This framework supports stronger protections: habitat preservation, abolition of exploitative industries, and legal recognition of animal personhood where appropriate. Justice becomes not just the absence of cruelty but the active establishment of systems that respect animal existence. Sor Juana teaches us that recognition is itself a form of justice—being seen, valued, and accounted for in the moral order.