Extension Explained

In the context of classification and academic disciplines, the term "extension" refers to the breadth or scope of a concept – essentially, the set of all things the term applies to. Arranging items in order of increasing extension means listing them from the most specific concept (narrowest scope) to the most general concept (widest scope).

Scope Analysis of Academic Fields

Let's analyze the scope of each field provided:

• D. Politics of International Relations: This is a specialized subfield focusing on the interactions between states and other international actors. It has the narrowest scope and therefore the least extension among the options.
• B. Political Science: This is a broader academic discipline that studies politics, government, and political systems. It includes areas like comparative politics, political theory, and international relations. Its extension is greater than "Politics of International Relations".
• A. Social Science: This is a major branch of knowledge that deals with society and the relationships among individuals within a society. It encompasses disciplines such as Political Science, Sociology, Economics, Psychology, and Anthropology. Its extension is greater than "Political Science".
• C. Sciences: This is the broadest category. While sometimes used narrowly to mean natural sciences, in a general academic context, it encompasses all branches of knowledge conducted via the scientific method, including Natural Sciences (Physics, Biology, Chemistry), Formal Sciences (Mathematics, Logic), and Social Sciences (like Political Science and Sociology). Therefore, it has the widest scope and the greatest extension.

Ordering Fields by Increasing Extension

Based on the scope analysis, we can arrange the fields from the most specific (least extension) to the most general (most extension):

1. D. Politics of International Relations (Most specific)
2. B. Political Science (Broader than D)
3. A. Social Science (Broader than B)
4. C. Sciences (Most general)

Thus, the correct order of increasing extension is D, B, A, C.

Final Answer Selection

The option that matches this order is: