Final answer:
A person who thinks the ends justify the means is described as Machiavellian. This perspective often includes using strategies that focus on results rather than ethical considerations of the actions to achieve those results, opposing Kant's ideology of treating people as ends in themselves.
Step-by-step explanation:
A person who believes that the ends justify the means is best described as Machiavellian. This term comes from the name of the Renaissance political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli, who suggested in his work The Prince that rulers should be willing to use cunning, deceit, and even cruelty to maintain power and achieve political stability. This approach often involves strategic manipulation and a focus on the results of actions rather than the moral considerations involved in getting there.
Self-regulation, also known as self-efficacy, will power, an internal locus of control, reflects a person's belief in their own abilities to manage their behaviors and reach goals. Contrast this with a person who operates on the maxim that any means can be justified if it leads to a desired end, indicating a more Machiavellian approach to ethics and morality.
In the philosophical terms of Kant's Kingdom of Ends, a Machiavellian approach would conflict with the idea that one must always treat humans as "ends in themselves" rather than as a means to an end. Kant implies that people should not use others merely to achieve personal goals, directly opposing the Machiavellian notion where personal or political ends can justify morally dubious means.