Abstract
Before arriving in the Netherlands, I wrote to some distinguished experts in their respective fields: medicine, psychiatry, philosophy, law, social sciences and ethics, asking to meet with them in order to discuss the Dutch policy and practice of euthanasia. Three people advised me that they will be out of the country during the time of my visit. Only one — Dr. Chabot — explicitly declined my request for an interview, saying that he preferred to stay in the background rather than be interviewed.1 The majority of interviewees were known to me through their writings. The remainder of interviewees was suggested to me by colleagues.
In his letter dated June 5, 1999, Dr. Chabot wrote: “After four years waiting for the final court judgement (1991–1995) and discussing the case with many people from abroad, I hope you will understand that I prefer to remain in the background now and not to make an appointment with you.” He, however, agreed to answer via e-mail some specific questions relating to his conduct that brought about the charges against him.
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References
My questionnaire had 15 questions. The Dutch comprehensive study of 1995 consisted of 120 pages and the interviews lasted for an average of 2.5 hours. Cf. Paul J. van der Maas, Gerrit van der Wal, Ilinka Haverkate et al., “Euthanasia, Physician-Assisted Suicide, and Other Medical Practices Involving the End of Life in the Netherlands, 1990–1995,” New Eng. J. of Med., Vol. 335, No. 22 (November 28, 1996), at 1700.
Carlos F. Gomez, Regulating Death, op. cit., pp. 59–60.
Issues in Law and Medicine, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Summer 2001): 35–68.
Carlos F. Gomez, Regulating Death, op. cit.
John Keown, “The Law and Practice of Euthanasia in the Netherlands,” The Law Quarterly Review, Vol. 108 (January 1992): 51–78; idem, “Euthanasia in the Netherlands: Sliding Down the Slippery Slope?,” Notre Dame J. of Law, Ethics and Public Policy, Vol. 9 (1995): 407–448.
Herbert Hendin, Seduced by Death (New York: W.W. Norton, 1997).
For instance, R. Cohen-Almagor, “Autonomy, Life as an Intrinsic Value, and Death with Dignity,” Science and Engineering Ethics, Vol. 1, No. 3 (1995): 261–272; “Reflections on the Intriguing Issue of the Right to Die in Dignity,” Israel Law Review, Vol. 29, No. 4 (1995): 677–701; “The Patients’ Right to Die in Dignity and the Role of Their Beloved People,” Annual Review of Law and Ethics, Vol. 4 (1996): 213–232.
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(2005). The Methodology. In: Euthanasia in the Netherlands. International Library of Ethics, Law, and the New Medicine, vol 20. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-2251-7_4
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