"What is the nature of the mind?" and "How do we acquire knowledge

 An overarching theme in the history of psychological thought can be summarized with two questions: "What is the nature of the mind?" and "How do we acquire knowledge?".
When contemplating the nature of the mind you must assess to what extent a theory/approach considers the mind a physical or non-physical phenomenon. A theorist can hold a "soft materialist stance" and argue that the mind is a product of the physical world but has non-physical properties, or that is a completely non-physical thing that does not obey the causal laws of the physical world (see: Descartes).
When discussing how we acquire knowledge the main point is to assess if we can trust our senses (Empiricism vs. Rationalism).
Compare two contrasting views from two different Western Countries (France, Britain, or Germany) on the nature of the mind and how we acquire knowledge. You can pick specific authors to elucidate your point, but you should be able to identify a trend within each of the countries you pick. This analysis should be at least 4 pages, double spaced, in APA format. Feel free to use outside sources to help clarify your point but the information you need should be in the textbook.