As both the physical universe and self awareness exist it is fruitless and ultimately frustrating to invalidate either. Rather, the thing to do is integrate them (their Duality) and so obtain a unified thirdness that progresses and ascends. That is how we as a species have come to where and what we are..if we’d think about it for a bit. No need to ignore, invalidate, exclude or settle for less. When it comes to Truth, Reality and Knowing…the answer is always Yes!