I really love that you're thinking about this and talking about this! Wish I had a PhD, but have been reading a lot on this topic from many angles for 20-25 years (and loving every minute of it). Fwiw, here's what holds up best for me...

Heidegger: Being is a mystery -- our existence, the universe's existence. A totally impenetrable mystery.

Damasio (my interpretation): Dennett got it all wrong. Our brain creates a Cartesian theater that we live in. Yes, it's utterly amazing, but it's a product of evolution, a new "arrangement" of neurons in which we "see" ourselves, an actor on the stage. We don't "know" how we got "here" because our subconscious created us.

This interpretation might sound "materialistic" but it's not, since we haven't penetrated the mystery of the physical universe either. Every scientific discovery surfaces new mysteries. It's entirely plausible this cycle will never end.

And it's ok if it doesn't. It's all a deliciously amazing mystery, full of amazing discoveries. Keep exploring!