==Is ‘ever branching and beautiful ramifications’ synonymous with ‘complexity’
So when Darwin shows all life forms ascending up a tree and calls it “improvement”, are you suggesting that he’s referring to an ever increasing loss of complexity?
Improvement in regards to natural selection means more able to pass on your genes in the current environment. It does not assume increasing complexity. Nowhere in the quote provided did Darwin provide the strawman you seem so eager to knock down.