Based on the excerpts provided from Ed Batista's writings, the question of whether people have free will isn't directly addressed. However, Batista does explore related concepts such as choice, control, and agency in various contexts.

In the excerpt titled "Pain Is Mandatory. Suffering Is Optional," Batista distinguishes between pain, which is seen as an inevitable part of the human experience, and suffering, which is portrayed as a choice or something optional. He suggests that suffering is a consequence of how we view our pain and that we choose to suffer when we fail to learn from experience, strive for permanence, cling to control, or imagine that we should be free from pain. This implies that while certain aspects of our experiences are beyond our control (pain), we have the ability to choose our responses (suffering), indicating a level of free will in how we deal with experiences.

In "Don't Just Do Something, Sit There! (Mindfulness for Busy People)," Batista discusses the concept of mindfulness and how it can improve attention management. He describes mindfulness as a nonjudgmental awareness and acceptance of experience, which can help us become more aware of where our attention is directed and assess whether that focus aligns with our intentions. This suggests that individuals have the capacity to exercise free will through conscious attention management and decision-making.

Furthermore, Batista's writing on System 1 and System 2 thinking processes indicates that while we have automatic responses (System 1), we also have the capacity to engage in controlled, conscious thought (System 2), which allows us to assess situations more thoughtfully and choose our responses more deliberately.

Overall, while Batista does not explicitly state whether people have free will, his writings imply that individuals have the ability to make choices, exercise control over their responses, and manage their attention, suggesting an element of free will within the constraints of human experience.