code: public boolean isSpecTopicInLevel(final SpecTopic topic) {
          final SpecTopic foundTopic = getClosestTopic(topic, false);
          return foundTopic != null;
      }
docs: Checks to see if a SpecTopic exists within this level or its children.
  
  @param topic The topic to see if it exists
  @return True if the topic exists within this level or its children otherwise false.