The phrase "the ends justify the means" is widely attributed to Niccolò Machiavelli, an Italian political philosopher. Although Machiavelli never used the exact phrase in his work The Prince (1513), his writings convey a similar idea that the outcome or goal can justify the actions taken to achieve it. Another possible origin traces back to the Roman poet Ovid, whose work contains a line translated as "the result justifies the deed," which conveys a related concept. The phrase means that a morally important goal can make acceptable the means used to achieve it, even if those means are questionable or unethical.
Machiavelli's association with the phrase is often discussed in the context of political philosophy and consequentialism, where actions are judged by their results. However, the idea has a long history and many ethical debates surround its application, especially concerning whether any means can be justified by the end result.
