Western science is one way. The foundation of Western science is measurement, using numbers and empirical equations to describe and predict natural phenomena. At one time in the distant past, the goal of Western science was seeking universal truths. But, today, perverted by the industrial revolution and capitalism, the goal of Western science is about what sells in the marketplace. But, that is another story.
Indigenous knowledge is another way of understanding reality.
Indigenous knowledge is not based on measurement or quantification but rather on relationship and observation. Medicinal plant knowledge is acquired by observing what animals eat during sickness. Knowledge of weather patterns or seasonal trends is acquired by watching the characteristics of the sky or the behavior of animals. Birchbark canoe builders know that when the wild raspberries are beginning to ripen in the forest, it is the optimum time to harvest durable birchbark. From these observations comes an intricate and complex knowledge of cycles, migrations, and interactions in the natural world.