Natural versus Artificial

What if the distinction between "artificial" and "natural" is actually artificial?

We say trees are natural. Then we build houses out of trees. Then we say houses are not natural!

Who says? Is it because humans had a hand in building them? But aren’t trees natural? Aren’t humans natural? Why aren’t houses natural, then?

Humans invented solar panels in the late 60’s to collect energy from the sun and turn it into a form useful to them. How is that any different fundamentally from the invention of chlorophyll so many millions of years ago?

Remember that everything we can see, feel, and touch ultimately came out of the big bang. Every atom in the house you live in was forged in the center of a star. In fact, every atom in your body was forged in the center of a star somewhere. The same is true of your dishwasher!

What’s the difference between something that’s “natural” and something that’s “artificial”? Either everything is natural or nothing is natural.

“Artificial” is our manufactured distinction.