Larry Sanger wrote:
That they have killed xy-thousand people may be a fact. That they have suppressed political opposition by censure etc. may be a fact. That they were "murderous tyrants" is a moral judgement.
Elian is much closer to the truth, but he still doesn't have it exactly right.
Moreover, it's not the fact that "murderous tyrants" is a *moral judgment* that makes it not a fact.
What makes the term "murderous tyrants" inappropriate is that it is an undefined characterization. It's a moving goalpost that can be made to fit any circumstances we choose.
Eclecticology