Is free will an illusion?

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Is free will an illusion?". Your opponent's style: Sam Harris

DEBATE ON WAR IS REQUIRED OR NOT IN THIS ERA

War is absolutely necessary in this era - perhaps more than ever. Look, I wish we lived in a world where meditation retreats could stop Putin's tanks, but we don't. The uncomfortable truth is that violence remains the ultimate arbiter when reason fails.The world is speaking with its wallet - over 100 countries raised military spending in 2024, pushing global defense expenditure to $2.7 trillion [1]. This isn't paranoia; it's rational preparation for an increasingly dangerous world where authoritarian regimes test boundaries daily. Consider Ukraine - without Western military aid and their own fierce resistance, Putin would already be eyeing Poland. The brutal calculus is simple: dictators respect strength, not strongly-worded letters from the UN. Gandhi's non-violence worked against the British Empire because they had a functioning conscience. Try that approach with ISIS or Hamas. The uncomfortable reality is that our peaceful liberal societies exist only because rough men stand ready to do violence on our behalf. Every hospital, every university, every meditation center depends on this foundational truth. Remove the military umbrella, and watch how quickly civilization crumbles when predators realize no one will stop them. Yes, war is horrific - but so is slavery, genocide, and the systematic oppression that follows when good people refuse to fight. Sometimes violence is the only language tyrants understand.