Nicomachean Ethics is an ethical treatise by the Greek philosopher Aristotle. In contrast to Plato, who deduces his conclusions from concepts, Aristotle comes upon his beliefs through a ground-up approach, approaching the question of what is good by examining the choices that good people agree upon. Aristotle discusses how the good life is attained by performing righteous actions to build good habits to build good character and the highest virtues. Aristotle believes in the "golden mean"--a lifestyle of balance, and the individual cultivation of virtue.