As you can imagine, I'm not a fan of the NAP at all. I don't believe in property rights. I would be in favor of a social convention that provides for some manner of possession, but it would be more akin to "personal effects" than anything like ownership of land, for example.

This is actually very close to where our philosophical differences begin to diverge. I would argue that it is a matter of consistency. Such property rights are not something found in nature, early societies, or even many cultures that currently exist. They are a relatively new phenomenon.

They initially required an assertion of a right which then could only be defended through force, or at least the threat of force. The very existence of these forms of property would seem to violate the NAP, had it been a governing principle when they were established. Wouldn't an adherent of the NAP have to find that it is unjustified to profit from violations of the NAP, in order to remain consistent and intellectually honest?

Thank you for bringing up a topic which moves me.
Hmm ... I read most of the books you mentioned and am interested in the questions you named. 

"We" (as humans) indeed figured out morality. 

Study Buddhism and you will find a fascinating world of psychology, sociology, humor and a great amount of intelligence. The Buddhist model doesn't include a creator, which is the most significant difference to other models of religion. Have you ever listened to Alan Watts? I deeply recommend his lectures, they are fascinating and give new and extraordinary insights in the way of thinking. 

There are sources which we can take our ethics from. I would go so far to say that without strong ethics within your every day actions - for example programming a computer application, examining a patient, teaching kids, going to the groceries - no matter what you think, do and touch - nothing really is of importance. Or I should say: Ones actions and reactions are in general just random and mostly influenced by other things but ethics. For instance convenience, distraction, fear, boredom, excitement, dullness, .... you name it. 

Morality isn't that difficult to find. Mostly within interaction with living beings not so much by theory.  
Bummer that I cannot give you my writings on this, because I am a German speaking person. 

Good day for you.

Laws of physics are something your consciousness recognized. You can assume they are "real" because your consciousness recognizes this attribute of reality in them.
You can say that matter exist indipendently from consciousness, but the only thing you can really scientifically observe is that there is this tought (matter exist indipendently of consciousness) in your consciousness.

Understanding that is just an experience, doesn't need a act of faith. While believing that matter is something that exist independently from consciousness is a matter of faith!

I took the shortcut to "realize" (not to "understand") my morality. 

I would like to challenge your view that we humans are just biological machines. I am an organism. I would state that organisms were there long before machines arose. We didn't know of machines before they weren't invented. But, unfortunately, since than we widely put on a mechanistic notion of the world. 

The difference is quite significant. A machine is made out of bits and pieces, an organism grows and is changing every single day from birth to death - there is nothing added to the organism. That's fundamental. As I gave birth to a child this is obvious to me. 

Why is it important?   

In the realization that I as a creature grow organically I must admit that I deeply depend on other organisms here on earth. I am interconnected to them. That means what happens to the bee or the fish or the bear, happens to me as well. Also I depend on other humans. 

When I see them mostly as biological machines, I treat them as machines, to put it simply. I then may believe in mechanical treatment, in fixing organic problems just as I fix a broken clutch. As a specialist in surgery I may know everything about the human heart or bladder but the complexity of the human body and mind I cannot comprehend to the fullest. As I am not able to full realization I must have something to rely on. 

This, for me, is ethics. 

To build up strong ethics, I need a source where I get them from. My existence is standing on the shoulders of others. Already ethics were formulated and given to the world. I "just" have to put them into my daily habits. Because in theory I already know that I shouldn't harm or kill other living beings, I should be authentic (truthful), not badmouthing about others, not stealing, not betraying. 

Have you ever linked ethics to your daily actions, reactions and thoughts? 

I try and must say: that is the most difficult thing. Being honest for a single day, not betraying this principles is just as difficult (and exiting!) as giving birth to a baby. 

Make the experiment and pick just one of the premisses.

Would that be a revelation?