Kalkulationsgefühls

Kalkulationsgefühls is a coined German term describing a sensibility or mindset characterized by prioritizing calculative assessment in decision making, particularly in social, organizational, or ethical contexts. It denotes an orientation toward instrumental rationality, where outcomes are weighed by costs, benefits, efficiency, and risk, sometimes at the expense of emotional or relational considerations.

Etymology and background: The term combines Kalkulation (calculation) and Gefühl (feeling). It signals the tension between numeric or procedural rationality and affective life. In German-language discourse, it is often linked to debates about rationalization in modern society and the balance between efficiency and humanity.

Usage: Used in analyses of corporate governance, public administration, and political theory to describe a decision stance that foregrounds quantitative analysis. Examples include project approvals based primarily on ROI or policy formulations guided by cost-effectiveness analyses rather than moral or social implications.

Reception and critique: Proponents view it as a useful descriptor of contemporary rationality. Critics argue that it risks oversimplifying complex human behavior by pitting calculation against feeling, and may encourage detached decision-making if misapplied.

See also: instrumental rationality; rational choice theory; homo economicus; rationalization.