It's a principle, whichever way you look at it (5)
I believe the answer is:
tenet
I believe this is a double definition.
'it's a principle' is the first definition.
(a tenet is a principle or value)
'whichever way you look at it' is the second definition.
(Other definitions for tenet that I've seen before include "A palindromic doctrine or creed" , "Doctrine held to be true" , "Belief - maxim" , "Rule" , "Teaching" .)