A collection of reflective essays that blends natural science with cultural and ethical reflection to consider humanity's future. The author maintains that everyday moral work and popular belief in progress are grounded in lived experience and hope for coming generations, and that scientific accounts of deep origins or vast futures do not undermine this practical idealism. He explores how evolutionary explanations and long-term natural processes relate to social aims, argues that scientific knowledge can inform and sustain constructive striving, and considers cultural responsibilities and moral conditions for continued human development.