Consequentialism
Etymology
From Latin "consequi," "to follow after," via "consequence." The term was coined by the philosopher G. E. M. Anscombe in her 1958 essay “Modern Moral Philosophy,” where she used it critically to group together theories that judge acts only by results. The family of views it names is much older, running back through the utilitarians.
noun · /kon-suh-KWEN-shuh-liz-um/
The view that an action is right or wrong entirely according to its consequences — the good or harm it actually produces.
What it names
A name for the way we reason when we say “the ends justify the means” or weigh a policy purely by its results, setting aside whether the act “feels” permissible.
Example
Judged by consequentialism, a white lie that spares real pain and costs nothing is not just excusable but positively right.
Related idea
Utilitarianism is the most famous consequentialist theory, but adds a specific measure — overall well-being. Consequentialism is the broader claim that only outcomes matter, whatever the yardstick.