I would point out that metaphysically speaking, we have no way of knowing if we are in a simulator. For all we know, the universe could be just the matrix. However it is self evident that our conscious thoughts and experiences exist. This indicates that there is a clear conceptual distinction between our consciousness and the material world in which it resides.

Consciousness is an incredible thing. Reducing it to a mere property is akin to pretending it doesn’t exist at all.