it only takes one or maybe two of the points to be wrong, in order for the end-to-end argument to fall apart
Regardless of the specific argument here, biological cells are already near pareto optimal robots in terms of thermodynamic efficiency. There is essentially no potential improvement for designs that are better at converting energy into replication of code, or just converting energy into carefully arranged nanostructures in general. This is a much stronger airtight argument not against the possibility of nanotech, but against the promise of nanotech.
Regardless of the specific argument here, biological cells are already near pareto optimal robots in terms of thermodynamic efficiency. There is essentially no potential improvement for designs that are better at converting energy into replication of code, or just converting energy into carefully arranged nanostructures in general. This is a much stronger airtight argument not against the possibility of nanotech, but against the promise of nanotech.