I don’t believe everything happens for a reason. That’s a meme that some people tell other people when they are in the throes of confusion after a sudden tragedy.
I think shit happens and we aren’t in control of all the events that occur in our lives. In order to live, we accept those thing by giving them reason. We learn from them as much as we can, in either a practical or philosophical way, and that gives those events reason. If you don’t do that, these things will haunt you. That’s about it.
Oh, and as to the original question: No. I don’t believe in a magical, pre-determined fate. Even if you were able to prove it to be true, I would go down denying it. On principle. Our fate is far from pre-determined, even with our own biological limitations which we have pushed the of time and again with technology—our brains. Cumatively,
I spent over an hour and a half underwater today at about 90 feet at 24 minute intervals, in comfort with my own life support system. From the dawn of man, up until the 1950’s, that was impossible.