I have been thinking about the importance of learning Torah and the straight path of the Gra. But I also see that one aspect of the Gra is ignored what was known as the "seven wisdoms".[note 1]That was the name that several secular subjects were known by during the Middle Ages,- but not all secular subjects.

There is at any rate some difference between rishonim what would be permitted to learn and not count a bitul Torah. To find some middle ground I recommend the authentic sciences, but would leave out the pseudo sciences like psychology.

[note 1] the translation of Euclid by a disciple of the Gra quotes him saying, "To the degree that one lacks any knowledge of the seven wisdoms, to that degree he will lack in understanding Torah a hundred fold."