Final answer:
Ronald Dworkin does not argue that admission policies should mainly be about rewarding merit and virtue; he believes in equal opportunity and accepts adjustments to account for ambitions and endowments. The reality of affirmative action complicates the notion of admissions based solely on merit by incorporating social goals into the process.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ronald Dworkin famously argues in the context of luck egalitarianism that people should live with the consequences of their choices, provided they have an equal starting point, such as equal resources. This implies that his view on admission policies is not strictly about rewarding merit and virtue but rather about ensuring equal opportunity at the outset. The notion that admissions should be based solely on merit and virtue is further complicated by affirmative action critiques. Critics argue that affirmative action can lead to the selection of individuals for reasons other than their proven abilities or accomplishments. Key to the debate on affirmative action is whether the purpose of admission and hiring processes is solely to select the best individual candidates or to promote broader social goals, such as diversity and redress for past discrimination.