Full Idea
The logician drops 'if-then' in favour of '→' without ever entertaining the mistaken idea that they are synonymous.
Gist of Idea
The logician's '→' does not mean the English if-then
Source
Willard Quine (Mr Strawson on Logical Theory [1953], V)
Book Reference
Quine,Willard: 'Ways of Paradox and other essays' [Harvard 1976], p.150
A Reaction
[Quine uses the older horseshoe symbol] The conditional in English is not well understood, whereas the symbol is unambiguous. A warning to myself, since I have a tendency to translate symbols into English all the time. [p.156 'implies' is worse!]
Related Idea
Idea 8204 Lewis's 'strict implication' preserved Russell's confusion of 'if...then' with implication [Quine on Russell/Whitehead]