Deeper than that: something has to be conscious or there is nothing to debate. If they don't believe the debate is possible then the anti-conciousness arguers would automatically be unable to convince anyone. So even if consciousness doesn't exist we have to debate as though it does.

For better or worse, anything beyond that is extremely deniable. Just because you believe you exist doesn't tell anyone anything. You have made a lot of mistakes in your life & maybe you're wrong about this too. The idea of separation between an external universe and a body is reasonably argued to be an illusion - so maybe the separation of 'you' from a universe wide consciousness is also an illusion/misconception bought on by evolution.