Prof. Debes is the Associate Professor and Chair of Philosophy at the University of Memphis.

His published research is in the areas of Moral Theory and the History of Ethics, with an emphasis on Human Dignity, Respect, Metaethical Sentimentalism, Moral Psychology (especially Empathy and Emotion), and Enlightenment Ethics (esp. David Hume and Adam Smith). He has also written the few public essays: "Dignity is Delicate" for Aeon; and "Facing up to Oppression: Adam Smith and the Question of Reparations" for Adam Smith Works. You can find most of his work on his Academia webpage here.

He currently sits on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Scottish Philosophy. In 2014 he was the recipient of a 72K grant from the Templeton Foundation for his project, "Understanding as a Form of Respect." In 2015 he was invited to join the President's Research Vision Committee, and later, for 2019-2020, to serve on the university's Research Council. Between 2016-2019 he served on the executive committee for the Provost's Critical Conversations program; and currently is a Committee Co-Lead in the presidential initiative, "Eradicating Racism and Promoting Social Justice." In 2019-20 he served as the Co-Chair of a Presidential Steering Committee to create a new, immersive project-based learning middle school at the University of Memphis. University Middle opened its doors to its inaugural class of sixth graders in the Fall of 2019. In 2019 Prof. Debes was on teaching leave as a Freeburg Fellow at the Marcus Orr Center for the Humanities.

Prof. Debes is presently working on a new book manuscript, tentatively titled, Rethinking Respect. The book explores the ideas of understanding, empathy, respect, and human dignity, and the connections between these subjects and questions of social difference, oppression, power, and justice.