Instrument for the coagulation and cutting of biological tissue, with a tool that comprises at least one cutting electrode and at least one first coagulation electrode and at least one second coagulation electrode, with an operating circuit comprising: - a cutting output connected to the at least one cutting electrode, a first coagulation output connected to the at least one first coagulation electrode, and a second coagulation output connected to the at least one second coagulation electrode, - a supply connection, by means of which a supply voltage or a supply current is provided, and - an evaluation connection, by means of which an evaluation signal having first half-waves of one polarity and second half-waves of the respectively other polarity is provided, - an evaluation circuit connected to the evaluation connection comprising a manually actuatable first switch and a triggering element for the generation of a triggering signal, wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to evaluate during at least one of the first half-waves whether the first switch was actuated and to generate, during at least one of the second half-waves, the evaluation signal depending on the evaluation, - a switching unit, which can be actuated by means of a triggering signal, which can be switched between a first switching state and a second switching state and which is connected to the supply connection and the cutting output. with a tool that comprises at least one cutting electrode and at least one first coagulation electrode and at least one second coagulation electrode, with an operating circuit comprising: - a cutting output connected to the at least one cutting electrode, a first coagulation output connected to the at least one first coagulation electrode, and a second coagulation output connected to the at least one second coagulation electrode, - a supply connection, by means of which a supply voltage or a supply current is provided, and - an evaluation connection, by means of which an evaluation signal having first half-waves of one polarity and second half-waves of the respectively other polarity is provided, - an evaluation circuit connected to the evaluation connection comprising a manually actuatable first switch and a triggering element for the generation of a triggering signal, wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to evaluate during at least one of the first half-waves whether the first switch was actuated and to generate, during at least one of the second half-waves, the evaluation signal depending on the evaluation, - a switching unit, which can be actuated by means of a triggering signal, which can be switched between a first switching state and a second switching state and which is connected to the supply connection and the cutting output. - a cutting output connected to the at least one cutting electrode, a first coagulation output connected to the at least one first coagulation electrode, and a second coagulation output connected to the at least one second coagulation electrode, - a supply connection, by means of which a supply voltage or a supply current is provided, and - an evaluation connection, by means of which an evaluation signal having first half-waves of one polarity and second half-waves of the respectively other polarity is provided, - an evaluation circuit connected to the evaluation connection comprising a manually actuatable first switch and a triggering element for the generation of a triggering signal, wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to evaluate during at least one of the first half-waves whether the first switch was actuated and to generate, during at least one of the second half-waves, the evaluation signal depending on the evaluation, - a switching unit, which can be actuated by means of a triggering signal, which can be switched between a first switching state and a second switching state and which is connected to the supply connection and the cutting output.