The Experiment

Algernon went up to the university the same year as Montgomery, though in fact they didn't see very much of each other during that first year.

That was the year Montgomery became president of the Philosophical Society, wrote his famous book 'Mentality and Materialism,' and began to get quite a lot of attention in some of the university papers because of his ideas, which were - at the time - thought by most of the students to be 'a bit weird.' He caused quite a stir at the end of the year by resigning from the Philosophical Society - because, he said, he 'found the intellectual atmosphere too stifling.' He formed his own society, the Wellsians, with himself as founder, chair, treasurer and guest of honour. Algernon went along to some of the early meetings of the Wellsians, but found most of the discussions too highbrow to understand. They followed the same pattern every time; port all round, then a lecture - invariably by Montgomery himself - and afterwards, 'question time,' although as the questions to be discussed had to be announced beforehand, Montgomery always had the answers ready.

The discussions centred on his 'new philosophical system,' as explained in 'Mentality and Materialism' and in his lectures. One of the main problems was Newton's law of gravity. The 'new system' showed that this law simply was not possible - it involved a self-contradictory premise, a reduction to the absurd. Gravity just could not exist in the real world. Several lectures were devoted to showing how a belief in this anomalous area of experience had arisen in the minds of primitive men before they were informed about the nature of the truth, and how it had come to be accepted as a fact by subsequent generations. The problem was debated incessantly and heatedly, and the discussions often continued into the small hours of the morning.

Soon the Society was split right down the middle over the question of gravity. Half the members accepted Newton's law, and thought that Montgomery's system needed to be altered to take it into account, while there was another, equally strong, party who said that the 'new system' was right, but that gravity as we understand it, is just a subjective phenomenon; its only reality, like colour, warmth, and the good, is in the mind of the person who believes in it.

Montgomery's ideas began to gain a considerable following among the intellectual, elite, philosophical element in the university; it became fashionable to be a member of the Wellsians, and 'in' people talked about Montgomery as 'a second Hegel.' At the beginning of the University year, the Wellsians had a stall at the Societies' Fair, with a lot of beautifully printed literature, some duplicated reprints of his lectures, and a new paperback edition of 'Mentality and Materialism.' Several freshers joined the society. At the same time, Algernon became the official recorder of the society transactions, so relieving Montgomery of an onerous responsibility.

They continued to talk about the problem of gravity, and it was one of the new members who suggested the simple solution of sorting the problem out by testing it experimentally. They debated this approach vigorously. The Newtonians, convinced that gravity was true, said this was the answer, while Montgomery's followers said it was too Baconian to be applied to the 'new system.' In the end, the chair himself closed the debate by ruling that an experiment would be conducted which would prove finally that gravity was just in the mind, and that the 'new system' was true. And they had to leave things at that for the time being.

Some weeks later, in one of his lectures, Montgomery outlined how the demonstration (as he called it) would be arranged. In order to show conclusively that the law of gravity was a mistake, he was going to step off the top of the university library tower. Because he himself was convinced that gravity was an illusion, and because he was not taken in by it, he confidently predicted that he would simply remain floating around at the height of the top of the tower until he chose to land. 'After all,' he said, 'the birds are not affected by this purely human delusion. Clouds are not affected - that shows the law is psychological rather than physical. Satellites and aeroplanes have shown that it is possible for us to overcome this mediaeval superstition through engineering and technology. I intend to show once and for all that it is just a myth.' He went on to call for members of the Society to join him in the experiment. Algernon was quite surprised to find that there were several willing volunteers, but then, Montgomery always did have a magnetic personality.

The next meeting was given over to debating how the belief in gravity could be eradicated from the minds of the experimenters - a necessary condition if the demonstration was to succeed. Again, it was the chair who ended the debate: 'I think this has gone on long enough. The answer really is perfectly obvious. We all believe in our Society, don't we?' (Loud cries of 'Hear, hear!') 'Well then, the solution is simple. Let us, in the Society, pass a resolution abolishing the law of gravity.'

This delayed them from carrying out the demonstration for some time, as they had to wait for the annual general meeting in January before the resolution could be properly passed. Algernon could not go to that meeting, but he was told afterwards that the resolution was passed unanimously. The Newtonians were anxious to see the demonstration carried out, and Montgomery's followers were eager to show their faith in the 'new system.'

The volunteers gathered on the thirteenth floor of the university library tower at one o'clock on the Friday following the AGM. Algernon went along to record the results officially, taking his little notebook and a cheap biro. There were quite a few members of the Society and other spectators there as well.

The first volunteer was a scientific type. He stood on the balcony looking around him, and laughed cynically. 'I don't believe all this rubbish about gravity,' he said. 'It's just a hangover from the days before the truth about the universe was clearly understood. It is a primitive and superstitious attempt to explain natural events in terms that the human mind can grasp, by attributing them to some 'universal law.' And so saying, he stepped off.

The second volunteer was a theology student. 'Of course, I've always found belief in gravity very comforting,' he said, 'and I'm sure it has helped me to know how I should approach life during childhood. But I think the time has come, while I am here at the university, to leave this kind of thing behind and begin to think and act like a mature adult.' And he too stepped off.

The next volunteer was a rather pretty girl, who was a historian. 'Truth is what you believe it to be,' she said firmly. 'What is true for you isn't necessarily true for me. You may believe in gravity if you like, but I choose not to. We should both be free to believe whatever we like. Neither of us is necessarily wrong; we just have different beliefs. What we believe is not so important as the fact that we do believe something - it's vital to be sincere. I believe in the 'new system.'

Still, she looked down at the ground very hard for some minutes, before shutting her eyes tight, and repeating over and over to herself, 'I don't believe in gravity. There's no such thing as gravity.' She too stepped off.

'I can't,' said the last volunteer, 'accept the consequences of this whole idea of gravity. It has implications of limiting our freedom. It confines people to live, as it were, less than full lives, restricted to a mere two-dimensional existence, when we are so clearly intended to be three-dimensional. I'm afraid the whole idea of gravity makes too many demands on my life for me to accept it. The time has come for liberation!' And he too stepped off.

Algernon looked at Montgomery, and raised his eyebrows quizzically. 'You must understand,' said Montgomery, 'that it is not always possible for people to live up to their beliefs. I, however, shall not concern myself with belief in such a vague and impracticable idea as the 'truth' or 'falsehood' of gravity. It is enough for me that we have passed a resolution in the AGM abolishing it. We have made it untrue by a unanimous vote! Write that down.' He turned to his followers: 'You have been shackled all your lives by this belief in a non-existent gravity. It is mere wish-fulfilment. It gives you a false feeling of security and attachment to earth. Now is the chance to escape from it. At long last, my 'new system' can explain everything without the need to postulate some mysterious 'force of gravity.' It can show this foolishness for what it is. Watch!' And so he too stepped off the balcony.

Algernon walked to the edge of the balcony and looked down at the ground, thirteen floors below. Gravity had very little attraction for him; he didn't want to believe in it, but... He looked at the last notes in his book: 'This Society moves that the law of gravity is untrue. For the motion, 98 votes. Against, none. Abstentions and absentees, 3. Montgomery said 'We have made it untrue by a unanimous vote!'

He looked down at the five messy red splotches on the ground below, made another note in his little book, closed it sadly, and turned away.