But tom, myself and others have observed falling when walking out of a chair, so explain that.
When you watch someone else do it it's second hand evidence. When you do it yourself and see the earth rise up to you, it's first hand evidence. A first hand experience is more empirical than second hand evidence.
The exact phrase I used was "The Universal Accelerator", as in the force that supposedly accelerates the earth in FET. You may think you have observed its effects, but you have not observed it directly.
We know that something must be moving the earth. We do not know or assume that it's a force.
Gravitons are irrelevant in you observation. You are using lack of evidence for gravitons as evidence that the earth it accelerating upwards.
Gravitons are very relevant. We have three options for the immediate mechanism for gravity: the earth rising, sub-atomic puller particles (gravitons), and the idea that the fabric of space bends (bendy space).
When I walk off the edge of a chair do I see sub-atomic puller particles? No. I do not see any sub-atomic puller particles.
When I walk off the edge of a chair do I see the fabric of space-time bending? No. I do not see the fabric of space-time bending.
When I walk off the edge of a chair do I see the earth rise up to meet me? Yes. I see the earth rise upwards to meet my feet.
Ergo, an upwardly moving earth is the most empirical explanation.