A Silk Thread: Children, Young People and End-of-Life Decisions

Only three countries (Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland) have a euthanasia law. For the Belgian euthanasia law, the patient is an adult or an emancipated minor who is legally competent and conscious at the time of his or her request. There is no legal regulation for the termination of life of newborns, children and young people. Twelve experts entered into a discussion with each other and with a very diverse audience of doctors, lawyers, philosophers, students and parents. Together they established that a child is actually allowed to do almost anything these days ... except decide about his or her own life. They debated the desirability of an adjustment to the euthanasia law, thought about moral liability, the role of parents, doctors, nurses, friends, family and acquaintances in the decision-making about the end of life of a young patient. Together they discussed many other aspects of the delicate theme of children, their suffering and the end of life. Master students in Philosophy and Moral Sciences summarized the series of lectures and the subsequent discussions, and presented their findings to a panel of five more experts. Again, the audience was involved in the discussions. The questions and answers in this book are the result of a transdisciplinary project, held at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, organized by the Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences over five consecutive weeks. In Een zijdedraadje you will find the latest scientific findings of specialists from various universities, with various philosophies, in various disciplines (P. De Coninck, E. De Groot, L. Deliens, M. Deneyer, Y. Denier, W. Distelmans, C. Gastmans, G. Pousset & Y. Vandenplas). This was commented on by ethicists (J. Stuy & A. Rigo) and interpreted by students (N. De Pooter, G. Van Assche, T. Vanermen). Een zijdedraadje was compiled by G. Cornelis.