Primacy of brain or consciousness - chicken or egg first ?

[sakoz]

See SWM's reply #09 in thread; "Some thoughts are believed"; for his whole statement. Partial quote here is; "....thought and the conscious awareness of this processing is a shadow or reflection of the brains functioning."
I wrote in same thread, #29; "Some people believe brains produce 'consciousness' the way turds produce odor."  Two disparate 'beliefs'.
I also wrote; " We are conditioned TO and BY language."
We are born conscious, consciousness is a given. We LEARN language/thinking. Language is not a given.
The brain "learns" (conditioned) language/thinking, and so 'produces' what it was conditioned to do/produce.
Those "shadows/reflections" of the brain (language/thought) in turn are the "means/vehicles" of further conditioning itself. 'Thoughts' produced, feed-back and affect subsequent out-put.(thermostat style). The process is now summed up in the new word, "neuroplasticity".
Language is a social/cultural "artifact", conditioned "into" the brain,or  learned by the brain. The brain (organ) not only "learns" language/thinking but then in turn can reproduce/replicate language/thinking, is a feat to behold.  'Consciousness/awareness' are "witnessing perspectives"; that is , non-material as formless as air, space and magnetic 'fields'.

This won't 'change' minds; this is just my view/belief.

[SWM]

Neuroplasticity refers to the brains ability to alter its physical structure. You seem to be equating neuroplasticity with cognitive changes.

[sakoz]

SWM; Exactly; Where do,you think cognitions come from and are registered IN?  Synapse connections form a "traceable" circuit/route.
Yesterday I bought the book; "The Brain That Changes Itself". Have not started to read it yet; so I hurriedly 'scanned' it to find something to quote to you, thus;
 "The idea that the brain can change its own structure and function through thought and activity is, I believe, the most important alteration in our view of the brain since we first sketched out its basic anatomy and the workings of its basic component, the neuron." ( I would highlight/emphasize the word THOUGHT in that quote.)

I have been writing about RECOGNIZING mistaking some of our images as 'being real'. Don't be reluctant to admit the following, it will help in instances of other similar 'mistakes'.
When you 'think' of your brain, do you "take" your image to be OF 'your' brain? No way is that possible. This example is harmless, without consequences, but in other contexts can be, like;
"I thought the gun was empty." I just want to 'ease' you into admitting that you do in fact often make this 'common mistake', with varied consequences/results, etc.

( second paragraph addressed to all readers)