Biology and Philosophy 19: 781–799, 2004. © 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands. Book review The Caucus-Race of the Dodo BENJAMIN KERR Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour University of Minnesota 100 Ecology Building 1987 Upper Buford Circle St. Paul, MN 55108 USA E-mail: kerrx024@umn.edu “What is a Caucus-race?” said Alice ... “Why,” said the Dodo, “the best way to explain it is to do it ...” First it marked out a race-course, in a sort of circle, ... and then all the party were placed along the course, here and there. There was no “One, two, three, and away!” but they began running when they liked, and left off when they liked, so that it was not easy to know when the race was over. However, when they had been running half an hour ... the Dodo suddenly called out “The race is over!” and they all crowded round it, panting, and asking “But who has won?” This question the Dodo could not answer without a great deal of thought, and it stood for a long time with one finger pressed upon its forehead ... while the rest waited in silence. At last the Dodo said “Everybody has won, and all must have prizes.” Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Lewis Carroll 1865 A review of Peter Hammerstein (ed.), Genetic and Cultural Evolution of Cooperation, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 2003, 450 pp., ISBN 0-262- 08326-4, $45.00. 1. Introduction What do a slime mold cell, a cleaner fish and a human being have in common? Under casual inspection, the differences seem to overwhelm any similarities. However, each of these organisms participates in some sort of cooperative