Aggregierung und Maximierung

English abstract: In welfare ethics, ‘aggregation’ means determining the moral desirability of an event or state based on the utilities of those affected by it. In utilitarianism, the utility of those affected is added together for this purpose. The article explains the purpose of aggregation (forming a moral desirability of alternatives for decision-making, e.g. from the perspective of an impartial observer or an empathetic subject), alternative methods of aggregation, and the technical requirements. The ultimate aim of aggregation is to implement the best alternative on the basis of the moral evaluation of the alternatives at hand (maximisation). Act utilitarianism then demands maximisation in all decisions. Real rule utilitarianism and real norm, institution and instrument utilitarianism, on the other hand, call for limited optimisations. The article concludes with a discussion of objections to aggregation and maximisation.