The epistemology of death: psychological autopsy, artificial intelligence, and forensic decision-making in equivocal deaths

Traditional post-mortem examinations primarily focus on determining the biological cause of death (causa mortis). However, in equivocal death cases, understanding the intention underlying death may be as important as identifying its physiological mechanism. Psychological autopsy has emerged as a retrospective and interdisciplinary approach aimed at reconstructing the decedent’s mental state, behavioral patterns, and psychosocial circumstances preceding death. This review provides a critical and integrative examination of psychological autopsy by synthesizing its classical theoretical foundations with recent developments in artificial intelligence and digital forensic technologies, while examining its methodological, socio-psychological, temporal, technological, epistemological, and legal dimensions. Rather than treating psychological autopsy as a definitive investigative technique, the review examines its epistemological assumptions, methodological limitations, and evidentiary implications. Particular attention is given to its continuing practical relevance within the Turkish legal system despite the absence of explicit statutory regulation. The review argues that psychological autopsy is best understood as a structured interpretive framework grounded in probabilistic reasoning, data triangulation, and contextual analysis. Furthermore, advances in machine learning and natural language processing have introduced new forms of computational inference into post-mortem psychological reconstruction, expanding both methodological possibilities and the ethical and legal challenges associated with forensic decision-making. While previous studies have largely examined psychological autopsy from clinical, forensic, or legal perspectives separately, limited attention has been given to their integration within the context of artificial intelligence and digital transformation. The study ultimately highlights the need for greater methodological standardization, interdisciplinary integration, and ethical oversight in the evolving landscape of psychological autopsy practice.