Perhaps LLM's do replicate the important features of "neurons and synapses and learning" and perhaps a "statistical modelling of our words" is pretty much what our brains are doing? Most of the counter-arguments I've seen boil down to "but humans are special" which I'm not sure I find compelling.

Not saying LLM's are conscious. Just that much of our amazement about their behavior seems to say more about us realizing the things we can do are not magic, rather than them being so amazing.