2001 Correction

[davethejew]

Dave does not die and turn into the space baby.
Dave is turned into an energy form, which goes to old age, and then goes directly to the Star Child. He does not die, the energy makes him skip death and go directly to rebirth. If you watch 2010 he is alive and well.

[Amie]

I haven't watched this movie in years. But didn't Kubrick say that a lot of the movie is open to individual philosophical interpretation? That scene may be seen as a rebirth into the next step of evolution (which might explain why he's alive and well in the next movie?), in which case the old body had to die in order to be reborn into a higher advanced being. If there was aging of the physical body, then the logical end to that process would be death of the physical body. The aging could be seen as a mortal process.

Dave's interpretation could be equally valid, in which the old body simply transforms metaphysically into the Star Child.

I'll have to watch this movie again.