ends justify means
Results excuse methods
The ends justify the means is the principle that achieving a good outcome excuses morally questionable methods used to get there.
Often used critically: He lied to get the promotion, believing the ends justify the means.
The phrase appears in debates about ethics, politics, and warfare—whether a worthy goal permits harmful actions along the way.
Associated with Machiavelli, though he never wrote it exactly.
- pragmatismPractical problem-solving philosophy
- greater goodCollective benefit over personal
- MachiavelliPolitical realism's founding theorist
- the princeMale ruler below king
- ruthlessLacking any compassion
calculated · expedient · sacrifice · necessary evil · collateral · consequentialism · utilitarian · outcome · victory · win at all costs · power · ambition · necessary · evil · greater · good · manipulation · compromise
- rationalizationsdenial, minimizing, deflection, sour grapes, victim blaming
- moral sayingsdo unto others, golden rule, do the right thing, honesty is the best policy, treat others fairly
- ethicsmorality, deontology, dignity, sanctity of life, utilitarianism
- philosophyethics, logic, metaphysics, ontology, epistemology
ends, ending, endless, endlessly, justify, justifies, justified, justifying, justification