I will make a very simple statement that may clarify the discussion.
I suppose that we can all agree that if there was not life in the universe, everything is governed by physical laws.
With the emergence of life (elementary or not) can begin to raise doubts and questions about:
If you only have plants (trees, mushrooms, ...) in the universe, I suppose all will agree that everything would also be governed by the laws of physics. The plants have no power of "free choice" or "free will" and they move by biological laws (chemical and physical). Or is there anyone who believes otherwise?
What about animals (mussels, ants, worms, lizards, mice, lions, ...)? ... I guess everyone will agree that they are guided by instinct. What is instinct? ... Perform an action after computing (biological-chemical-physical) information (stimuli, ..) external. For me they would be governed also by the laws of physics. The animals doesn´t have "free will". Or is there anyone who believes otherwise?
What about the human? ... It's an animal?. That distinguishes men from animals?: The capacity for consciousness, reasoning, abstraction, ... Where do these differences come from? ... Are these differences sufficient to establish that man has "free will"? ... Or are simply a higher state of evolution of animals, but is still governed by the laws of physics?
The capacity for consciousness, reasoning, abstraction, ... can be understud as a consequences of the biological-chemical-physical laws?...or only could be understud with the existence of a "soul".