does the term, "survival of the fittest" apply to students in highschool

It appears that my opponent has forfeited his second round, and failed to address my point. Nevertheless, I will make one final argument in regard to the resolution, and also challenge the validity of the resolution itself. Semantic Argument: The instigator apparently is referring to the meanings of the individual words of the phrase ‘survival of the fittest’. This allows him to apply the phrase to his high school experiences. However, I will challenge this approach: Phrases are ‘groups of words…that function as a single linguistic unit in the syntax of a sentence’ [1] In other words, phrases represent a single meaning in the sentence being used. The best approach to understanding phrase is, therefore, not by understanding the constituents in the group…. Imagine a classroom contest, between two students, both of which are carrying dictionaries, who are competing for some remuneration or reward. Both must guess, or at least approximate, the definition of a word or phrase picked out from a box of index cards…In the current round, the teacher picks out a card and cries, out loud, ‘Survival of the fittest’…The two students quickly pick up their book and instantly search for the definition. Student A does the following. He finds the definition of the phrase ‘survival of the fittest’ as: “Natural selection conceived of as a struggle for life in which only those organisms best adapted to existing conditions are able to survive and reproduce”[2]. Student B however chooses a different approach. He defines the meaning of the constituents of the phrase: Survival: n. “the act or fact of surviving, especially under adverse or unusual circumstances.” Fittest: the superlative of the word ‘fit’ [conventional definition assumed from the laws of grammar] Fit: adj, “adapted or suited to” [3] Student B arrives at the conclusion that ‘survival of the fittest’ means the survival of members best suited or adapted to some ‘adverse or unusual’ environment and its circumstances. However, this definition fails to acknowledge the biological overtones and regard to life and community in an environment, and thus is false. By the end of the round, Student A has won and receives the renumeration… Refutation of Pro's Argument in Terms of 'High School Experience' My opponent's argument states that students "have to strive to fit in and be popular"...However, he has failed to display, as even in the literal intepretation of the phrase 'survival of the fittest', that the high school environment is at least 'advese or unusual' for the entirety of 'high school students' in the resolution. Therefore, despite the point that students do need to adapt to the typical high school routine, and his/her peers, such a point does not necessarily need to be called a 'survival'. According to the definition I provided above, survival only applies to 'adverse or unusual circumstances' that force the students to strive to survive. My opponent does not display that the high school enviroment is harse or unusual, making his assertion invalid as to whether or not they even apply to the literal definition of 'survival of the fittest'.My opponent has also failed to make a distinction between the distinct, and individual, grades of students, along with their ranks. A typical high school will have: freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, all of which have varying degrees of experience and attunement to their school. This diversity alone challenges Pro's general assertion that "students have to strive to fit in and be popular"....He again implies that he is referring to the freshman class, but this is not inferred from the resolution: "does the term, 'survival of the fittest apply to students in high school", which only names 'students', including all of the grades listed above. In addition, my opponent has also failed to name what type of high schools that might potentially challenge or stimulate their students into studying and taking assignments seriously. Generally, the four types of schools in the United States are: public, charter, and magnet schools...: The following are excerpts from descriptions of each type of schools [which, as a note, applies to the institutions of secondary education]:"Public schools get their financing from local, state, and federal government funds. In most cases, they must admit all students who live within the borders of their district. Charter schools and magnet schools are two relatively new kinds of public schools.Charter schools began appearing in the early 90s. They are autonomous, "alternative" public schools started by parents, teachers, community organizations, and for-profit companies. These schools receive tax dollars but the sponsoring group must also come up with private funding. Charter schools must adhere to the basic curricular requirements of the state but are free from many of the regulations that apply to conventional schools and the day-to-day scrutiny of school boards and government authorities....Considered cutting edge, charter schools usually challenge standard education practices and sometimes specialize in a particular area, such as technology, the arts, or a back-to-basics core-subjects approach. Some charter schools are specifically for gifted or high-risk kids. They usually offer smaller classes and more individual attention than conventional public schools....Magnet schools are highly competitive, highly selective public schools renowned for their special programs, superior facilities, and high academic standards. They may specialize in a particular area, such as science or the arts. Students who apply to these schools go through a rigorous testing and application process. Some magnet schools have boarding facilities to allow students from out of state to attend...." [4]Note that references and descriptions of the schools' history were cut for issues of length. Clearly, the three types of schools provide different environments, as based on their different curriculum and avaliability. There is no guarentee that students will be forced to strive and be perfect in all such schools.Even the different kinds of students negate the general nature of the resolution:Premise: Students are 'individuals'.Premise two: Individuals have different ways of adapting to their environment.Premise three: A 'high school', regardless of the different kinds, are 'environments'.Conclusion: Students have different ways of adapating to their high school environment.Recap:1. 'Survival of the fittest' is chiefly a scientific term that, though no longer in technical use, retains its biological and social connotations. Ignoring these connotations, and applying them to fields outside of their intended subject, risks conflating the specific definition of such a term. (Established in round one).2. 'Survival of the fittest' is a phrase that functions not in individual units...Applying it to "students in highschool" risk assuming that such a phrase can be understand by the sum of the definitions of its part, which, as I showed in the imaginary contest of students A and B, to be untrue.3. Differences in students and even high school environmens further invalidate the resolution and assertions made by Pro, and further negate the resolution in general.I await my opponent's response...I hope this will be a good way of learning, though competition and debating.In the meantime, I encourage my opponents to vote Con since Pro has failed to give a rebuttal to my claims and cannot introduce new arguments in the final round...Being that Pro is still a relatively new member, I hope he continues to debate and present his views on such issues. After all, the phrase 'practice make perfect' is true in a community like DDO.... 1] http://en.wikipedia.org... [2] http://www.thefreedictionary.com... [3] http://dictionary.reference.com...; definition of the word ‘survival’ and ‘fit’ [4] http://www.babycenter.com...