Full Idea
The fundamental hypothesis of the method of science is this: There are real things, whose characters are entirely independent of our opinion of them.
Gist of Idea
Realism is basic to the scientific method
Source
Charles Sanders Peirce (The Fixation of Belief [1877]), quoted by Albert Atkin - Peirce 3 'method'
Book Reference
Atkin,Albert: 'Peirce' [Routledge 2016], p.83
A Reaction
He admits later that this is only a commitment and not a fact. It seems to me that when you combine this idea with the huge success of science, the denial of realism is crazy. Philosophy has a lot to answer for.