The Right to Learn as Foundational Liberty

Sor Juana famously taught herself multiple languages, theology, mathematics, and sciences despite institutional barriers to women's learning. In libertarian justice, the right to learn is not granted by authorities but is a fundamental liberty—the capacity to develop oneself intellectually. Without freedom to acquire knowledge, one cannot exercise informed consent, negotiate fairly, or claim ownership of one's judgment. Her life demonstrates that restricting access to education is a form of oppression that undermines autonomy and property claims. Applied today, this means opposing credentialism that artificially gates knowledge, defending self-education and informal learning, and recognizing that intellectual freedom precedes and enables economic freedom. Justice demands unobstructed pathways to learning for all.