Sentence:  It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: perhaps out of a desire to <WSD>escape</WSD> the gravity of this world or to get a preview of the next; [...]. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To avoid (any unpleasant person or thing); to elude, get away from.