Weight-of-Thought Reasoning: Exploring Neural Network Weights for Enhanced LLM Reasoning
On the map: LLM reasoning → Prompting and chain-of-thought reasoning
Abstract (arXiv)
Large language models (LLMs) have demonstrated remarkable reasoning capabilities when prompted with strategies such as Chain-of-Thought (CoT). However, these approaches focus on token-level output without considering internal weight dynamics. We introduce Weight-of-Thought (WoT) reasoning, a novel approach that examines neural network weights before inference to identify reasoning pathways. Unlike existing methods, WoT explores the weight space through graph-based message passing, multi-step reasoning processes, and attention mechanisms. Our implementation creates an interconnected graph of reasoning nodes. Experiments on diverse reasoning tasks (syllogistic, mathematical, algebraic, combinatorial, and geometric) demonstrate that WoT achieves superior performance compared to traditional methods, particularly for complex problems. This approach leads to both improved performance and greater interpretability of the reasoning process, offering a promising direction for enhancing LLM reasoning capabilities.
Key facts. Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Placed in Prompting and chain-of-thought reasoning, one of 17 directions in LLM reasoning. Builds on 15 of its 37 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 14 Apr 2025.
Builds on
15 of 37 references.
Closest ancestors · 3
Same direction, newest first
- 2023Graph of Thoughts: Solving Elaborate Problems with Large Language Models18 Aug
- 2022Large Language Models are Zero-Shot Reasoners24 May
- 2022Self-Consistency Improves Chain of Thought Reasoning in Language Models21 Mar
Other references · 12
- 2015Distilling the Knowledge in a Neural Networkcited by 10,324
- 2022PaLM: Scaling Language Modeling with Pathwayscited by 5,326
- 2018How Powerful are Graph Neural Networks?cited by 4,393
- 2023Toolformer: Language Models Can Teach Themselves to Use Toolscited by 4,182
- 2023Tree of Thoughts: Deliberate Problem Solving with Large Language Modelscited by 3,211
- 2022Locating and Editing Factual Associations in GPTcited by 2,691
- 2018Relational inductive biases, deep learning, and graph networkscited by 1,360
- 2022Mass-Editing Memory in a Transformercited by 1,001
- 2023Reasoning with Language Model is Planning with World Modelcited by 861
- 2022PAL: Program-aided Language Modelscited by 652
- 2019Inductive Relation Prediction by Subgraph Reasoningcited by 239
- 2023Gender-Based Comparative Study of Type 2 Diabetes Risk Factors in Kolkata, India: A Machine Learning Approachcited by 1
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Citing papers per year: 2026: 2.
2 papers.
Similar, not cited
Close in wording, no citation either way
- 2025Reasoning Beyond Language: A Comprehensive Survey on Latent Chain-of-Thought Reasoning
- 2026Mean-Field Dynamics of Chain-of-Thought Reasoning in Large Language Models
- 2025Beyond Chains of Thought: Benchmarking Latent-Space Reasoning Abilities in Large Language Models
- 2025ThinkEdit: Interpretable Weight Editing to Mitigate Overly Short Thinking in Reasoning Models
- 2025Advancing Reasoning in Large Language Models: Promising Methods and Approaches
- 2025Stop Overthinking: A Survey on Efficient Reasoning for Large Language Models
- 2024A Hopfieldian View-based Interpretation for Chain-of-Thought Reasoning
- 2024Fine-Tuning on Diverse Reasoning Chains Drives Within-Inference CoT Refinement in LLMs