Damage

Damage is defined as any change that degrades a thing from its initial state. It is a change introduced into a system that adversely affects its current or future performance. This does not always mean a system loses all functionality. Often, it simply means the system no longer operates in an optimal manner.

Physical damage is a progressive process where objects break down. We often use the term "damage control" to describe efforts to prevent or fix these changes. Damage can be accidental or intentional. When someone deliberately damages an object, it can be a way to change the social meaning of that object.

All physical damage begins at the atomic level. It starts when atomic bonds shift or break. The rate of this damage depends on the elasticity of the bonds in the material. Elasticity describes how a material responds to stress. If a material is elastic, changes to its consistency are reversible. The material can bounce back from potential damage. However, if a material has plasticity, the changes are permanent. Each plastic change increases the chance of a crack or fault appearing.

Even if bonds do not break completely, they can shift. This creates unstable pockets of material that are more likely to break later.

Damage manifests differently depending on the material. At the macroscopic level, we see cracks, deformation, or structural weakening. Some weakening is not even visible to the eye. Different forces cause different types of damage. Fire causes damage through burning. Water can damage materials that are not resistant to it. Ionizing radiation can cause radiation damage. Mechanical systems face unique challenges. Foreign object damage occurs when debris or strange substances enter a system. Metals can suffer hydrogen damage through interactions with hydrogen. Materials also face damage mechanics from cyclic mechanical loads.

Living organisms experience damage, which is often called an injury. This damage occurs at many different scales. It can be microscopic, such as DNA damage or damage to a biological cell. It can also affect larger systems like nerve damage, brain damage, or articular cartilage damage. Large-scale damage to the body is often called trauma.

Aging is closely linked to damage. As organisms age, they often lose the ability to recover quickly from biological damage. Some scientists propose that damage is one of two factors influencing biological aging. The other factor is a programmed biological timetable. Cumulative damage comes from both internal and environmental assaults.

Damage also applies to intangible things that we cannot touch. We can describe the degradation of a reputation, a relationship, or self-image. Even goodwill or the value of an idea can be damaged. In the legal world, the term "damages" has a specific meaning. It refers to an award of money paid to a person. This money serves as compensation for a loss or an injury. This helps restore the person after economic or physical damage has occurred.

In a social context, we look at institutional damage. This can mean unintended consequences to an individual caused by an institution. This might happen to a hospital patient, a child in school, or a prisoner. Some forms, like medical errors, are easy to measure. Others, like damage to mental health, are much harder to measure. There is often controversy regarding whether this damage can be quantified.

This is a significant legal concept, especially where human rights are not guaranteed.

Conversely, damage can be done to the institutions themselves. For example, the suspension of political rights can damage democratic institutions. Vandalism of public buildings is another example. Large epidemics can also disrupt the normal functioning of society's institutions. Even external military intervention or the "resource curse" can cause institutional damage. Sometimes, damage happens in both directions. During the 1940s, the House Committee on Un-American Activities caused damage to individuals. At the same time, it damaged the political institutions of individual rights and freedom in the United States.