The Right to Learn Without Permission

Sor Juana famously taught herself theology, philosophy, mathematics, and languages despite institutional barriers and gender restrictions. She claimed an inalienable right to intellectual pursuit without awaiting permission from clergy, crown, or family. This principle directly addresses libertarian concerns about freedom: if property and liberty are interdependent, then access to knowledge is foundational. Sor Juana's self-directed education exemplifies how individuals can claim epistemic agency. Her famous response to critics—that the pursuit of knowledge is a natural right—challenges systems that gatekeep learning. In libertarian terms, she resists monopolies on intellectual authority. Her model suggests that true freedom requires not just the absence of prohibition, but active capacity to learn, question, and develop one's own understanding without external permission structures.