Intelligent falling (IF) is a parody of the intelligent design (ID) movement. IF is a pseudoscientific supernatural explanation of the effects of gravity that has become an Internet phenomenon. It says free fall is being caused by "the hand of God", as depicted in Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel fresco.[1]
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IF proposes that the scientific explanation of gravitational force cannot explain all aspects of the phenomenon, so credence should be given to the idea that things fall because a higher intelligence is moving them. Furthermore, IF asserts that theories explaining gravity are not internally consistent nor mathematically reconcilable with quantum mechanics, making gravity a "theory in crisis". IF also makes the claim that gravity is "only a theory", parodying the claims made by creationists regarding the theoretical status of evolution. Pretend IF apologists advocate that IF should be taught in school along with the theory of gravity so that students can make "an informed decision" on the subject in accordance with demands to "teach the controversy". IF has found common ground with the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, a similar critique of intelligent design, and the two are often combined when mentioned in discussions.
In June 2002 "Jeff Stubbs" posted a draft of a letter to the editor that mentions intelligent grappling to the alt.atheism and talk.origins usenet groups.[2] He commented that "I don't like the theory of gravity, I feel personally insulted that engineers design structures only considering physical mass. What about our souls? I propose that science classes also teach the theory of "Intelligent Grappling". There's no way a weak force such as gravity can possibly hold everything onto the planet. It must be God, using our souls, to hold everything together." This was followed by a Elf Sternberg posting a "FAQ on intelligent grappling" on the sci.skeptic usenet group.[3] D. C. Simpson published, in May 2005, an I Drew This comic strip titled "Teaching Gravity".[4] This was followed by Joshua Rosenau, a graduate student at the University of Kansas, presenting the idea on his blog, citing Isaac Newton.[5] Intelligent falling was the subject of an article in The Onion in August 2005.[6] In January 2010 Indian news satire website Faking News used the idea to write spoof news - Apple dropped from Burj Dubai to validate Newton’s laws disappears.[7]
