and human life/happiness as the central element of the universe. In regarding humans as such, reality becomes interpreted exclusively in terns of human values and experience.
             The morality "controlling" man's interaction with Nature has remained as an unchanged utilitarian standpoint.
             It is evident that these human-centered views and practices are prevalent in present day society, relegating nature to the position of victim of human intervention and capitalization. Humans have so degraded the biosphere that its life-sustaining systems are breaking down. The source of this tragic situation lies as a direct result of anthropocentrism (human-centeredness), which values nature exclusively in terms of its usefulness to humans. This is reiterated by as Paul Taylor points out, human actions affecting the natural environment and its nonhuman inhabitants are right (or wrong) by either of two criteria: they have consequences which are favorable (or unfavorable to human well-being, or they are consistent (or inconsistent) with the system of norms that protect and implement human rights (Zimmerman 67).
             The anthropocentric standpoint comes with many advocates, including the main proponents of culture over nature. These human idealist advocates point to the 5th amendment of our constitution, in providing justification for the dominance of humans. Such states that certain federal environmental laws, that prevent development of private property, infringe upon the 'takings' clause. American Idealism understands the national landscape (and nature that constitutes such) as being open for the taking
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