existence

here are some questions: would it be possible for the universe to not exist? similarly, would it be possible for consciousness to not exist? if consciousness did not exist, could the universe exist? a lot of times people think that when a person dies they simply fade out and don't have consciousness at all anymore. is this really possible? i sure can't comprehend any of these things being true. but does that mean they aren't?

The universe has to exist. If it didn't, we couldn't. It could be argued that we lkive only inside our own minds...thus making our perception of reality completly false. However, if we were in this dream-state....there would still have to be a larger place for it to exist. Or even for us to come into being, so that this mindset or dreamstate could come into being. Thus, there has to be a universe.

I have no idea what happens when a person dies, but it sure will be intersting to find out
(and disappointing if nothing happens at all)
but then again, if nothing happens at all, we won't know, and it won't be disappointing.

I believe that without consciousness there is nothing. No sense of time to begin with and no sense of anything else either.
Things which affect no conscious being exist for nothing and effectively do not exist.

When you think about it, you are not sure that anything is real at all. There is only you, and what you percieve. How do you know your subconcious is ust making it all up for you?
All in all, it does not really matter if any thing else existed except for yourself, because if you are gone, nothing would matter to you.