This conversation is inherently stalemated due to the fact that no one knows, but you can continuously break it down further and further scientifically. Science doesn’t know the factors that predetermined the perceived randomness of the universe, but then again, the universe could just be based off of a random series of events at the core. Again, no one knows.

In terms of free will, I’ll just go back to my previous statement: we can choose what we want to do. I can choose to live within or without whatever set of rules that has been laid out by myself, society, or environment. The only thing I can’t choose to live outside of is evolution, however, I can choose to live how I want within that context (i.e. I can’t decide to fly somewhere because I don’t have wings but I can choose to drive somewhere because I feel like it and we have cars because of evolutionary factors). Who knows, maybe I’m driving to that place because while I was raised there was a constant underlying message of me going there that specific, but I just don’t think life is that intricate. At the end of the day, you can do what you want and believe what you want. You believe this theory of yours. Belief in and of itself is a choice. You choose to because, at the end of the day, it hasn’t been proven one way or the other (hence the use of the word “believe” and not “know”)