BBC on Scott vs Shackleton

[Werner]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7171417.stm

[chuck]

I notice Shackleton got considerably more votes than the moribund Scott.

[Werner]

"moribund" is not exactly the term I would use.

[chuck]

"moribund" is not exactly the term I would use.

In his place, Shackleton would likely have led everyone out alive. And if that is absolutely impossible, Shackleton would have died while still walking towards the supply depot, instead of dying in his tent after having written a goodbye note explaining why he is too weak to walk anymore.

[Werner]

I believe you'll find "moribund" refers to an object in the present tense from the state of the observer.

Lincoln was not "moribund", although he may have been so to Dr. Barnes at the moment. Nobody and nothing can be "moribund" from the standpoint of the far future. survival or not is certain upon completion of the episode.

For them we use terms like "ill-fated", "lucky", "doomed", and so on.

[chuck]

After being shot, the moribund president was entrusted to the care of Dr. Barnes.

There seems to be no issue with using moribund from a point in the distant future. I think you meant moribund refers to THE state immediately prior to death, not a generalized characteristic suitable for describing a personage. I believe you are right. Although I have no better word for describing that characteristic that allowed Scot to give up trying and accept the inevitability of death when hope is by no means rationally non-existent and the only down side to trying would be temporary suffering. The quality of Scott's decision is made even more indescribable - tragic, unfortunate, unlucky or ironic all being inadequate - by the fact that when he gave up and devoted his remaining energy to pitching a tent in which to write his goodbye note and to die, he was in fact only 3 hours walking distance from his supply depot and salvation.