What an amazing self troll!!!
The OP tried to point out that it does not mean an obligation to go learn חכמת הגוים. Yet, the binary question of is it a permission or an obligation leads to an opposite truth. By admitting that even if it is only a permission it is because the wisdom of it is still factual, than it no longer matters. Since factual wisdom is it’s own obligation. If you see the wisdom in something, that in itself obligates you to follow it. As opposed to ignoring the wisdom and doing some foolish alternative.
In sum, the OP demonstrated the fallacy of believing that one could get through what they are doing (Random example: excelling at deep analytical thought in any random field of study. Ummmm let’s pick one randomly. Say, all the different tosofos in one sugya. Or shagas aryeh. OR even bircas shmuel.) while ignoring the wisdom of what it is and how it works.