Physicists also question the reality of reality based on at least two issues. First, we cannot tell if the universe is a simulation or real. Second, based on Quantum Mechanics (QM), a particle is a wave of mass-energy so small its size cannot be measured with current instruments. QM is famously/infamously weird; observations of particles show future events can affect the past of a QM particle. Einstein said, "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one" -- brainyuote.com. If there was a big bang, the the universe was once packed into a space much smaller than an atom; yet we can see enough of the Universe to estimate hundreds of billions of galaxies similar to the Milky Way, each containing hundreds of billions of stars, planets, moons, planetoids, comets asteroids, rocks, dust, and gas, including us. Multiplying stars per galaxy times number of galaxies gives an approximation of more than 10,000 billion billion stars in the visible Universe. In addition, there is an unknown amount of matter-energy we cannot see beyond the Cosmological horizon.

Physicists do not know if a “really real reality” exists. It appears that reality exists, because we can see, feel, taste, touch, etc. things. That is because a little energy is transferred from the environment into us, for example we see photons, feel hot and cold, and sense pressure from touching something. However, a photon is invisible until it lands on sensors in our eye. Hot and cold describe faster or slower vibrations of molecules in a substance. Pressure sensors in our skin activate because electrons around atoms repel each other; this electrostatic field is so strong we can never truly touch anything. Thus, the reality we perceive is significantly different than the reality physicists understand, and that understanding is limited.

I think this is one of those circular questions with no end. One part of me says of course there is objective reality that does not depend on my subjective sensory gear in order to exist. It is what it is, and it does not need my help or permission. However, the moment I start to make any pronouncements on the subject, as I just did, my assessment is, of course, relying on my senses and internally driven interpretations, so that I cannot objectively "prove" any of it to another person, who has their own filters operating. What matters in the end is that, to me, the most important thing is "my truth!" lol
I know I am right, because I have thought it through. ?

If we were living in a virtual reality, our brains would be creating another virtual reality within our mind. Kind of redundant.

I think a lot of people misrepresent brain function in light of their beliefs and wishes. The brains main purpose isn't to create reality, but interpret it. Sure, it has to take things we sense and convert it into something that makes sense, but just because it can create doesn't mean it's creating everything.

One big problem with mankind is that we do not understand our brain, often not knowing the difference between being asleep or being awake. This might just be the nature our our brain and also be a key as to how we have progressed and evolved as we have over time. In other words, our creativity most likely comes out of these interpretations. If the brain was totally inactive during sleep our race would not have progressed.