A basic premise of Clarke's science fiction is that the universe produces life. For better or for worse, life develops and evolves. Rudimentary life forms evolve into sentient beings. Sentient beings develop technologies which enable them to either destroy themselves or, eventually, to grow beyond the need for material bodies and into some form of higher consciousness which becomes one with the essence of the universe. Aspects of this premise are implied or stated in Clarke's prior stories. They are explicitly summarized in the first chapter of 3001.

The human race is portrayed as either "seeded" or "cultured" by some alien race which roams the universe fostering other life forms. This pattern presents humans as a lesser type still fighting to progress toward better control of its environment and its capabilities while it is monitored and occasionally manipulated by the alien civilization. Humanity risks termination by the aliens if the race makes too little progress or wreaks too much destruction. Dave Bowman, absorbed by the alien system, could be considered "evolved" to the post material status Clarke uses in his fiction as the ultimate goal of a civilization, but the human race in general has not made the leap to the nonmaterial. Bowman was taken over by the alien system. Thus, defying the alien power shows the essential independence of the human mind and spirit.

With the theme of progress, Clarke builds the premise that organized...

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