Can you manipulate someone's thoughts with the death note?

Question

So let's say I write:

Bob Shneizel Car Accident. Forgets where he lives, and then thinks about how awesome he is. Then he gets killed in a car accident at 9:30.

Would that (manipulating someone's thoughts via what I write) work?

Answer 1

My take on this, is that it could be possible, but not to much use.

Based on the content shown in the series, you can only specify his cause of deaths, and the events leading up to it.

But since it would all result in death regardless, and the victim seems to be able to do nothing when they run out predefined actions.

However, it is shown that the book can order people to commit suicide. The look on people's faces seems a bit like they are aware they will end their own lives soon, so maybe it is possible, in extention.

Only thing I can say with certain, is that you would need to give it a try:

From How to Use: VI

The specific scope of the condition for death is not known to the gods of death, either. So, you must examine and find out.

Answer 2

I'll expand my earlier comment, which is basically: yes, thought manipulation is possible to some extent.

In Death Note, we see Naomi Misora get killed by Light via the following:

Commits suicide in such a way that nobody will be inconvenienced and her body will not be discovered. Dies by implementing this plan within 48 hours.

Thus, Light essentially manipulates Naomi Misora into planning a suicide -- she is not merely someone who receives a heart attack, and unlike some of the other instances (e.g. the bus hijacking case, where the actions of the victim are largely dictated by Light himself), it is clear that she isn't entirely an automaton whose actions do not involve any conscious thinking (since it's up to her to fill up the gap's in the DN's plan for her death).

Thus, thought manipulation in the sense of exercising some control over someone's thought processes via the Death Note are possible. The death note doesn't only control someone's body (which is about as much as we can infer from the other incidents).

However, this would presumably be restricted via the same mechanism the deaths are restricted (i.e. people cannot die via physically impossible means, and they cannot be instructed to do things they are incapable of doing). With mind control there might be slightly more flexibility, but it would seem impossible, for instance, to write:

Average three-year-old child dies by choking to death after thinking about topological spaces and game theory.

There might be more flexibility with emotions, but that doesn't cover other types of thoughts, and some thoughts would be entirely impossible.