Indeed.

If we interpret "nature" as φύσις, then many senses of the word are clearly metaphysical.

One cannot marshal empirical arguments to take and hold that ground, any more than one could ask infantry to dig foxholes below the high tide mark. :-p

The best I can do is an analogy that we may all agree on.

A Chinese counterfeit guitar cannot become a Fender. No matter the build quality, no matter if it matches the Fender on every observable quality, it will always remain a counterfeit.