What is the word for..

[rock_star65]

What is the word that means 'the means justifies the end'?

[delboy3]

Machiavellian

[woofgang]

pragmatic ?

[Loosehead]

It's "The end justifies the means" and it is termed Machiavelian as Delboy says. Named after the Italian politician Niccolo Machiavelli.

Pragmatic means to proceed with what you think is the best path regardless of your own personal feelings.

[JohnPPotts]

I would say Pragmatic is more "go with what works" or "Whatever works best". Although Machiavelli would certainly go along with the end justifies the means, a more general term would be utilitarian - the result is the thing, it doesn't matter how you get there.