end in itself
A purpose or goal desired for its own sake (rather than to attain something else). For example, For me, writing books is an end in itself; they don't really make that much money. This expression employs the noun end in the sense of “final cause or purpose,” a usage dating from the early 1500s.
Words nearby end in itself
end brush,
end bud,
end bulb,
end game,
end grain,
end in itself,
end justifies the means, the,
end leaf,
end line,
end man,
end member
Example sentences from the Web for end in itself
We have a moral aim only as our purpose coincides with some end-in-itself.
Human Nature and Conduct |John Dewey