“this is a gut vort. One hiluk: when Rabonim from 50-200 years ago write about this, it is about people who are abandoning Torah in favor of secular culture and knowledge.We here are mostly discussing Torah-observant Yidden adding knowledge of science or professions. This is a different issue.”
You’re right. I forgot that part of the perek when I cited it- that if the reason the person is learning it is to understand Torah better/ or to make a parnassa to serve Hashem (whoops I forgot that part) like the Rambam and Ramban, then it’s ok.
“Just to ponder: when gemora says – ein Torah b’goyim aval yesh Chochma b’goyim, why do they put these 2 things nearby, and how do they know about Chochma b’goyim? learned it and compared with their own studies?”
Some studied for the reasons above, and some came across It for example R Yehoshua who debated the philosophers of Athens.
However, the one Talmid chacham we know of, who knew a tremendous amount of Torah, but sang Greek songs etc. meaning he was interested in the culture itself and didn’t use it as a means to an end… well that’s Acher.