The problem here is the conflation of consciousness and thought. The existence of an observer is proven by cognizance of thought, but conflating the observer w

The problem here is the conflation of consciousness and thought. The existence of an observer is proven by cognizance of thought, but conflating the observer with the thinker is erroneous. A computer provides a useful analogy here. When I use a computer, I am aware of the output it produces via elements of the interface like the monitor. I also indirectly control what that computer produces as output. That does not mean that _I_ am the computer. This is basically just what buddhists and hindus have been saying about the nature of consciousness for thousands of years.