Free Will or Fate?

      One of the big questions concerning not only tragedy but life in general is: free will or fate?
      When presented with decisions, especially big desisions, people draw on many things.  Decisions are influenced by three major factors: choices presented, life experiences, and human instinct.  Typically, one has many choices. 
      For example, when I get dressed in the morning, I have an abundance of socks to choose from.  Black socks, blue socks, white socks, spotted socks, fuzzy socks, tall socks, etc.  Now, based on past experiences, I may decide that the fuzzy socks are too big for tennis shoes and pinch my toes.  I may also rule out tall socks because they irritate me.  Now left with only the black, blue, white, and spotted, I may choose based on my instinct.  For some reason, I always choose the black socks.  I have no idea why.  I just like them better.
      Now don't get me wrong, I am a big believer in free will.  I don't think life is linear and there is no way your course could be preset.  There are too many factors that are pure science, not chance, that will have an impact on your life.  Hurricane Katrina devistated and displaced so many people.  Weather is science.  They were victims of science and chance, not a predetermined incident.
      While people do have their own free will and past experiences, instinct will always be present.  The number one human instinct is survival.  Except for those few valiant heroes who sacrifice themselves for the good of other people, the majority of the population puts their survival needs first.  As the heroes demonstrate, the survival instinct is not infalliable.  It can be combatted by reason that comes out of past experiences.  It can be defeated by pride, justice, stupidity, and any number of things.  Whenever one is presented with options, human instict will battle with everything else.
      What about when you really don't care what an outcome is or when you don't know what to choose?  Your instinct will contribute it's opinion, but it often falls to default, or chance.  Some mornings I just reach in the sock drawer without looking, don't you?