John Jamieson Carswell (J. J. C.) Smart (1920-2012) was born 100 years ago today, to Scottish parents who lived in England. His father was Professor of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge. At the age of 30, Smart (known to his friends and colleagues as Jack) moved to Australia, where he spent the rest of his long life. I consider him one of the best philosophers of the 20th century. His works in ethics are both perspicuous and perspicacious. I wrote the entry on Smart for The Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Utilitarianism (2013). When I wrote to him many years ago, out of the blue, he kindly wrote back right away. I wish I had gotten to know him better. Here is an obituary by one of Smart's students.
